Where Do Babies Come From?
by Riyuji.Raicho
Summary: Banchan! A stork just dropped a baby on the windshield! Nonyaoi. Last Chapter up.
1. Special Delivery

**Where Do Babies Come From?**   
by: Rabid Lola and Riyuji

  
  
**Disclaimer**: We do not own Get Backers or any of its characters whatsoever.   
  
**Authors' Notes**: This was inspired by Episode 36 of the series, when Riyuji mentioned to Rabid Lola that Himiko was there because Ban and Ginji would have no idea on how to take care of a baby.   
This will be placed up in Riyuji's account because Riyuji is still bugging Rabid Lola to get one.   
  


-=-=- **Chapter One: Special Delivery** -=-=-

  
  
"Ban-chan?" Shake. Shake.   
  
Ginji sounded nervous.   
  
Ban grumbled and turned the other way, choosing to ignore Ginji's persistence. After all, it was freaking four-thirty in the morning…   
  
"Ban-chan…" Shake shake shake. More urgently now.   
  
_Go away, Ginji… _  
  
"BAN-CHAN! A STORK JUST DROPPED A BABY ON THE WINDSHIELD!!"   
  
_This is all a dream. I'm still asleep._   
  
His thoughts were rudely interrupted by a sudden wail.   
  
His eyes snapped open and he jumped up, banging his head against the roof. The wailing intensified, coming from a small form clutching at the windshield wipers. These were precariously close to being torn from their fastenings.   
  
Faster than lightning, Ban was out of the Ladybug and prying—trying to pry, the baby off the windshield wipers. "Eh! DON'T—HURT—MY—CAR!"   
  
This, of course, caused the little kid to cry harder, and grip tighter.   
  
"Eh…Ban-chan? I think you're scaring it." Ginji was out of the car now, staring curiously at the baby.   
  
Chibi-Ban had tears streaming down his face. "It's hurting my caaar…"   
  
Tare-Ginji started patting Chibi-Ban on the back. "It's okay Ban-chan…"   
  
The wails dissolved into little giggles.   
  
Both Ban and Ginji stared at the baby. It was laughing by now, and it took one hand off the wipers and pointed…and started crying again as it slid off the hood and crashed into the bumper.   
  
"MY CAR!" Ban wailed, louder than the baby.   
  
Ginji picked it up, and stared at it. "Ban-chan, what do I do now?"   
  
Unfortunately, Ban was hugging his car too tightly to take notice. "Thank God you're all right…"   
  
"Ban-chan…!"   
  
The baby stared up at Ginji with big, tear-filled puppy eyes, bigger than even he could manage.   
  
"Aww…isn't it cute…"   
  
"I don't care about that," Ban said shortly. "I'm more worried about who owns it! Who brought it here anyway?"   
  
"I told you Ban-chan, a stork came and dropped it on the windshield!" Ban stared blankly at Ginji. "What?"   
  
Ginji stared as blankly back, and pointed to something behind Ban.   
  
The other man turned and saw, sheltered under a nearby tree, a huge stork about three-fourths his own height. It stared at them…in an oddly evil, amused manner. It opened its beak and emitted what could have been a cackle, and then flew away.   
  
Ban turned back, sweatdropping. "I did not see that."   
  
Ginji was still staring at the baby, who by now had stopped crying and was just sniffing, its mouth turned down mournfully in a puppy-dog pout. "Is it a girl or a boy?"   
  
Ban stared at Ginji. "You check."   
  
Ginji sweatdropped. "Eh..what if it's a girl?!"   
  
"It's just a kid anyway!"   
  
"Eh…Ban-chan…" Ginji whined.   
  
"Just do it."   
  
"What if…there's something in the diaper?"   
  
"I don't smell anything."   
  
Tare-Ginji nervously stood beside the baby and checked. He sighed in relief. "It's a boy."   
  
Ban stared down at both of them, as Ginji poked the baby. It giggled and poked back, hitting tare-Ginji's eye. "Ouch!"   
  
"Who owns him anyway?"   


-=-=-

  
Paul watched Ban and Ginji curiously from behind the counter. They were sitting at a table in the Honky Tonk, staring at the little form before them. The baby, seated on the table, stared as curiously back.   
  
He was a little lower than Ginji's knee, round-faced with big greenish eyes. He was not that fat, but not malnourished either. His hair was a brown messy mop on top of his head, and he looked about one to two years old. He was dressed in a red t-shirt and blue shorts, with little sneakers on his feet.   
  
Ban leaned closer to the baby. "What's your name?"   
  
The baby stared back. He didn't seem so scared now…more like shy.   
  
Ban gritted his teeth and repeated his question. "What is your name?"   
  
"Name," the baby replied in a small voice.   
  
Ban's forehead hit the table.   
  
"Let me try," Ginji said. "What's your name?"   
  
"Name."   
  
Ginji reverted to tare form. "Eto…Maybe he'll understand me this way?"   
  
"What's your name?"   
  
"Name!" You could tell that the baby was kinda annoyed.   
  
Ban lifted his head. "Say I."   
  
"I," the baby repeated.   
  
"Am."   
  
"Am."   
  
"A."   
  
"A."   
  
"Ban-chan?" Ginji said nervously.   
  
"Parrot."   
  
"Pawot."   
  
"Ban-chan, that's mean!"   
  
"Shut up."   
  
"Shup," the baby said gleefully.   
  
"It's so cute," Ginji said with a huge smile, and the baby giggled back. Ban shook his head in exasperation.   
  
"I suggest you look for its parents," Paul said from his observation post.   
  
Ban sighed and got up from the table. "Get back the missing parents of the baby. Great, and we don't even get paid…"   
  
"Do you want to look after him for the rest of your life?"   
  
Even Ginji got up quickly. "Never mind," Ban said. "All right, let's go."   
  
They were almost out of the door when Paul said flatly. "Ban."   
  
They stopped. "Eh?"   
  
"You left the baby."   
  
Ban cursed softly under his breath. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice."   
  
_To be continued..._


	2. Lost Boy Day One

  
  
**Disclaimer**: Standard disclaimers apply.   
  


-=-=- Chapter Two: Lost Boy; Day One -=-=-

  
  
It was already noon.   
  
"Do you know this baby?" Ginji asked the umpteenth random person. The person stared at him, then at the baby, happily perched on Ban's shoulders, blinked, and walked away.   
  
Ginji let out a sigh. "I guess not."   
  
Ban growled in annoyance as the baby pulled at one of his spikes. "Ow! Stop that!"   
  
The baby giggled. He wasn't so scared of him anymore.   
  
Ban sighed and swung the kid off his shoulders, back onto the ground. "You're old enough to walk."   
  
"Ummmm…" the baby whimpered, staring up with huge eyes, hands extended towards Ban.   
  
Who ignored it.   
  
"Ah, Ban-chan…"   
  
"Really. He can walk. Come on." To Ginji's surprise, he took one of the extended hands and continued walking. The baby toddled morosely after.   
  
Ginji tried not to laugh at the sight and followed.   
  


-=-=-

  
  
"It's okay… I don't want to part with you either…" Ban said mournfully.   
  
The cashier stared weirdly at the strange urchin-headed man who was talking to the yen coins cradled in his hands.   
  
The man's blond friend was playing with a brown-headed baby. "Where's the baby?"   
  
The baby giggled and tried to pry Ginji's hands of his face.   
  
"There he is!" Ginji said, vaguely remembering a movie where this was done by some animal. Only in his case…   
  
The kid's giggles turned into high peals of laughter, seemingly highly amused by the lame trick.   
  
"Thank you, sir," the cashier said, smoothing his wide-eyed stare back into impassiveness. "The flyers will be ready in about an hour."   
  
"I can't believe we're this desperate," Ban said, shaking his head slightly as he turned away. "Ginji! Let's have lunch."   
  
"Didn't you spend a lot of our money, just now…?" Ginji asked, setting the baby on his shoulders.   
  
"Shut up." Ban pushed open the door, to be stopped by a faint, "Ban-chan…"   
  
He turned to find tare-Ginji, tears streaming down his cheeks, and the baby staring wonderingly at him.   
  
"He stinks…"   
  


-=-=-

  
  
Back at the Honky Tonk…   
  
"Where's Natsumi-chan?"   
  
"Vacation," Paul replied monotonously.   
  
"Himiko-chan?"   
  
"Out." He turned a page of his newspaper.   
  
Ginji was desperate. Obviously, or he wouldn't have asked… "Hevn-san?"   
  
"Business trip. Himiko's with her. They're not in Shinjuku."   
  
"Oh no…"   
  
Ban intently stared at the baby, who was shifting uncomfortably in place. He had his fingers pinching his nose but the smell still penetrated.   
  
"You wouldn't happen to have a clothespin lying around, would you?" he asked, the question directed to Paul.   
  
Paul shook his head, burying himself further into his newspaper. He wanted nothing to do with that kid right now.   
  
A vein popped in Ban's head, and he snarled out, "I'm sick of this…"   
  
In a matter of seconds, he snatched Paul's newspaper out of the café owner's hands, grabbed up the baby in the other, and rushed to the bathroom at the back.   
  
"Hey!" Paul said, affronted.   
  
"You weren't helping!" Ban shouted back. "Ginji, get a clean dishtowel!"   
  
As Paul continued muttering crossly under his breath, Ban and Ginji stared down at the baby, who was now seated in the sink, tears starting to gather in the corner of his eyes.   
  
"Eh, Chibi, don't cry!" Ginji said, waving his hands frantically in front of him.   
  
"…" Ban's stare transferred to his best friend. "You _named_ it?"   
  
"Ehehehe…" Ginji sweatdropped. "It's…cute isn't it?"   
  
Ban's hand connected with his forehead. "Why me?"   
  
Their stares reverted back to Chibi. "Ban-chan?"   
  
"Ah?"   
  
"Where do we start?"   
  
Half an hour later, Chibi was back on the table, washed, dried, and blissfully clean-smelling. He was still wearing his red shirt, but his lower half was swaddled in a dishtowel, used as a makeshift diaper. The words 'Honky Tonk' were splashed in front. His blue shorts had just been washed and were drying, draped over the heater. Paul's newspaper was in the trashcan, crumpled and covered in…er, the contents of Chibi's diaper.   
  
Ban was leaning back into his chair, smoking silently, observing the antics of the baby and Ginji seated across him. Ginji wasn't wearing his vest…due to the ineptness of the Get Backers in the field of washing-and-changing, it had been also been victimized by Chibi's diaper and was now washed and drying beside the baby's shorts. Ban's shirt, lucky for him, had only suffered many wet spots, which he opted to let dry while the shirt was still on him.   
  
Ban was jerked out of his reverie by Chibi pulling one of his spikes, again. "Hey!" he complained, tugging his hair out of the baby's grasp.   
  
Again, Chibi giggled.   
  
"He likes your hair, Ban-chan," Ginji said, half apologetically, half mischievously.   
  
Paul snorted as he watched from behind another newspaper that he had somehow procured, still sore at Ban for grabbing his other one.   
  
Ban sighed and leaned forward, glaring slightly at Chibi. "Chibi. Listen. This hair," Ban tugged one of his own spikes. "You do NOT pull. Understand? No. No pull." Ban shook his head to emphasize the point.   
  
Chibi grabbed his hair again, pulling harder than before. To Ban's discomfort, he was giggling while doing this.   
  
"Ow! Chibi!" Ban said.   
  
"When are we going to get the flyers, Ban-chan?" Ginji asked, taking Chibi and setting him on the seat. Chibi immediately began scaling Ginji's back, who, characteristically, didn't mind.   
  
"We have thirty minutes to kill," Ban replied. "Besides, you're not going to take the kid out without his shorts, are you?"   
  
"Nah, guess not…" Ginji said.   
  
Suddenly, Chibi gave a small shriek as he lost his balance and fell off Ginji. Ban almost lunged across the table before realizing that Chibi had fallen on the cushioned seat, and was not that much hurt. He sighed in exasperation as Ginji tried to calm the baby down, and settled back into his former postion.   
  
"This baby is more trouble than it's worth…"   
  


-=-=-

  
  
Ban stared at the monitor of his cellphone.   
  
He stared.   
  
And stared.   
  
And stared.   
  
"Ring, dammit, ring," he whispered through gritted teeth.   
  
Ginji came out from the bathroom of the Honky Tonk, carrying a just bathed Chibi. "Ban-chan, it's getting late…"   
  
They'd spent the rest of the afternoon posting up the flyers, all with Chibi's picture and the Get Backers' number, along with the message "Boy Found, Name Unknown. Wearing a red shirt and blue shorts. If you know him, please contact Midou Ban or Amano Ginji at the number above or come to the Honky Tonk Café. Bring proof of your relation to him."   
  
Below that was a smaller sized, but still explicitly clear message: "Retrieval Team: Get Backers! If it's stolen, we'll steal it back! Our success rate is almost 100%!"   
  
Unfortunately, no one in Shinjuku seemed to know Chibi, as they had yet to receive a call. It was now very dark, nine in the evening, to be exact, and they were all tired.   
  
Paul came out of the back. "I'm closing up. Get out."   
  
Ban glared blearily up at him. "What? It's early!"   
  
"No, it's not. And I want to close now. Now move, and take the kid with you. Good night."   
  
Ban, Ginji and Chibi walked out of the Honky Tonk and got into the Ladybug, Ban grumbling all the way. Ginji gave up trying to pacify him as they drove around, looking for a nice spot to park their car for the night.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, they found a hidden alley that they frequented when they didn't want to be bothered by illegal parking tickets. They had enough in the glove compartment already, and really couldn't afford any more any time soon.   
  
"Aw, Ban-chan, look," Ginji whispered.   
  
"Ah?"   
  
"He's asleep." Ginji stroked the hair off Chibi's forehead. The baby was sleeping peacefully in his lap, sucking his thumb contentedly.   
  
Ginji thought he saw a small, involuntary smile twitch the mouth of his friend as Ban glanced at the baby. Before he could tease his partner about it, though, another thought popped into his head, efficiently driving the previous one away. "Ban-chan, are we going to keep Chibi until his parents claim him?"   
  
Ban turned off the car engine, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Where else will he go?"   
  
Ginji hid his grin, knowing that that was as good as a yes, as he answered, "Well, I was thinking, if he will bother you too much, we could let Shido and Madoka-chan take care of him instead…"   
  
Ban shifted into a more comfortable position. "Are you going to sleep with him in your lap all night?"   
  
"Nah, don't think so," Ginji said, moving carefully so as not to disturb the sleeping child. With a little difficulty, he managed to lay Chibi in the backseat, and he settled down in his place again.   
  
"We could ask Shido and Madoka to babysit once in a while…but I think we should keep the kid with us. Our number's up on the flyers already." Ban removed his glasses and placed them in his pocket. "Besides, their parents might pay us."   
  
Ginji groaned half-heartedly as he shut his eyes. "Money again, Ban-chan?"   
  
Ban grunted in reply.   
  
But a few moments later, Ginji heard him mutter, "Well, he is kind of a cute little twerp…"   
  
"What was that, Ban-chan?"   
  
"Nothing."   
  
In the darkness, Ginji smirked, and they drifted off to sleep.   
  
_To be continued..._   
  
**Authors' Notes**: Thanks to Pikachu Hunter, Invader Androgynous, …, Lady Geuna and anonymous for the reviews.   
  
**Lady Guena**: Well, Rabid Lola and I were just experimenting on what they would do by putting ourselves in their shoes. And the thing about Ban… well, let's just say that we were feeling evil at the time.   
  
**anonymous**: Yes, Kazuki will make an appearance. All the characters will be victimized one way or another.   
  
**Invader Androgynous**: Thanks for pointing that out. We fixed the summary already. ;   
  
**Pikachu Hunter**: We'll take that thought into consideration.   
  



	3. Yet

**Disclaimer**: We still don't own anything... And we are very sad that Get Backers has ended. This calls for an OAV! 

**Riyuji's Notes**: Rabid Lola did most of the work in this one.... I'm not worthy! 

**Rabid Lola's Notes**: Whatibir, Riyudzi. I'm gonna make you do the next chapter...mwahahaha. But Riyuji does all the tedious html-ing. And editing. That's a lot. Belib me. 

-=-=-** Chapter Three: ...Yet. **-=-=-

The Ladybug drove up the driveway of a large, extravagant estate, with plenty of gardens…and an oddly plentiful number of animals. A tall figure, dressed in gray, black, and white, turned at the slightly familiar sound. 

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiidooo!!" Ginji yodeled, leaning out of the sunroof. Seated on the roof itself, anchored by Ginji's grip, was Chibi, whose eyes went even larger and rounder at the sight of so many animals. 

Shido waved, waiting until the car parked at level with him. "Oi, Ginji, Midou." 

Ban climbed out of the car and nodded in reply, holding his hands out for Chibi. "Hand me the kid, Ginji. Don't pull my hair," he remarked sharply, as Ginji moved to comply. 

"Say hi to Shido, Chibi!" Ginji chirped cheerfully as he passed the baby to Ban, who set him gently on the ground. 

If Shido had had any eyebrows, he would have raised them. "I saw your flyers, and in case you're wondering, that baby isn't ours." 

"We aren't here for that, monkey man," Ban growled. 

"Mankee?" Chibi said, confused. 

"No, no, Chibi, Shido. Not monkey, Shido," Ginji said hurriedly, coming up beside them. 

"Shiduh," Chibi repeated, smiling. 

"Why are you here?" Shido asked, ignoring the child. 

"Ask Ginji," Ban said, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

"Can you babysit Chibi while we look for a job?" Ginji asked cheerfully, not noticing the sudden flash of panic that flew across Shido's face. 

Ban noticed it, though. "Hey monkey trainer, is it too hard for you?" 

"No!" Shido said quickly. "It's just that Madoka and I…don't have children…" 

"Oh, that's ok," Ginji said cheerfully. 

"…yet." 

Long silence. 

Very long. 

Some crow in the distance started cawing. "Caw…caw…" 

Shido silently cursed his involuntary slip of the tongue. 

"Eh…" Ginji said, sweatdropping. 

"Yet, monkey man?" Ban drawled, an evil glint starting in his eye. To Shido's discomfort, he continued. "When do you plan…" 

"I'll ask Madoka if we can babysit him," Shido said, cutting off Ban's words with a punch. He whirled, face red, and began to stride towards the house. 

Then he heard a low, familiar growl and high-pitched giggles, accompanied by Ginji's frantic "CHIBI!!" 

"Monkey man! Get the baby off your lion!!" 

-=-=-

In the end, Ban ended up calling Madoka while Shido and Ginji tried to persuade the lion and the baby to separate. 

They had given up, though, by the time Ban and Madoka arrived. 

Ban came to find Shido and Ginji sitting beneath Shido's tree, Shido calm, Ginji a little edgy. Chibi was seated in the curve of the lion's body, playing with its mane and face. He giggled as he mashed the soft fur with his tiny hands, pinching the lion's cheeks. It grumbled, not in an unfriendly manner, as the baby did this. Several crows, and a few dogs were watching this display with something close to awe. 

"Ginji, for the last time, I'm sure he doesn't mind. Calm down," Shido said, as Ginji asked about the safety level of the lion for the nth time. 

Madoka walked unerringly to Shido's side, and sat down beside him. "Konnichiwa, Shido-san," she said softly. 

Ban grinned as he saw Shido remove a hand from the back of his head and place it gently over that of his blind girlfriend's. The Beastmaster shot him a warning look, which stalled the remark on his tongue, but didn't wipe off the smile. 

"Hi, Madoka-chan!" Ginji said, smiling at the girl. She could feel it, even if she couldn't see, and she smiled back. 

"Hi Ginji-san," she said. "Is there anything wrong?" 

"Iie, Madoka-chan," Ginji said, still with a hint of nervousness in his voice. 

"Then why do you sound so tense?" 

"Eh…the baby's fiddling with the lion, and I'm not used to seeing babies play with lions." 

"Baby? What baby?" 

"The one Ban and I have." 

You could see the huge sweatdrop at the back of Madoka's head. Then light dawned in her eyes. "Oh! That's what Shido-san was giggling about yesterday." 

Ban would have taken offense, but he was laughing too much at Madoka's choice of words. A tic throbbed in the Beastmaster's forehead. 

"Shido-san? Are you upset?" Madoka asked, sensing the change in his mood. 

"No…it's okay…." he said through gritted teeth. 

"We wondering…could you babysit him for us while we look for a job? Coz Hevn-san's not here right now and we can't take Chibi around. We might have to take too many rest stops with him around. Can you Madoka-chan? Pleeease?" 

"See Midou? You're not up to taking care of a baby either," Shido smirked. 

"I've survived a day and you can't even start," he shot back. 

They were about to brawl when Madoka said, in reply to Ginji's question. "I'm sorry Ginji-san, but I'm not experienced with children…yet." 

Shido noticed the pause before the 'yet' and cursed silently again. 

Ban and Ginji stared once more. Chibi noticed and stared too. 

"Yet?" Ban asked. 

"Again?" Ginji said. 

"Is there something we don't know about?" 

The couple blushed. 

-=-=-

In the end, they took Chibi with them. They didn't find any jobs that day, though, and consequently had no dinner. To Ban's humiliation, they had to ask Madoka for food, at least for Chibi. The kind-hearted girl gave the Get Backers nutrition, too. 

That night, Ban was awakened by a persistent tug at his hair, as well as a foul smell. 

"Ugh! Chibi!" 

The baby looked up at him, startled by his shout. His mouth began to tremble. 

Ban cursed. "I'm not mad, I'm not mad. Just…ah forget it. Ginji. Wake up." 

His partner refused to comply. 

"Ginji. Wake. Up." 

The blond man rolled over in the passenger's seat and faced the window, sound asleep. 

Chibi continued staring at Ban, hope in his green eyes. 

"GINJI! WAKE UP!" 

Tears streamed down Chibi's cheeks and he let out a wail. 

"I'm not mad at YOU…I give up." 

He grabbed another dishtowel previously borrowed from the Honky Tonk, gathered Chibi in one arm, and got out of the Subaru, headed for the fountain. 

He was getting better at the diaper-changing business…it took only fifteen minutes this time. _Big accomplishment_, he thought to himself. Chibi had stopped crying and was now messing with Ban's hair gently. He'd almost gotten used to it by now. Almost. He only reacted at the particularly hard tugs. He hung the washed diaper on one of the windows. He'd gotten good in laundering, too. 

They got into the car, and Ban decided to take revenge on the currently-sleeping Ginji some other time. He settled down to sleep when a small and warm weight climbed into his lap. 

"Ehk…Chibi…" Ban groaned sleepily. 

"Banchan," the baby said, snuggling into his chest. 

"Eh…?" Ban bolted upright, nearly dislodging the kid. "No. Midou Ban-sama. Ban-sama. Or Ban-san. NOT Ban-chan." 

"Sama?" Chibi asked, staring up at Ban in utter confusion. 

"Ban-sama. Or Ban-san. Or Ban." He got engaged in a staring contest with the baby. "Ban. Sama." 

"Banchan!" Chibi said, giggling. 

"Argh…" Ban picked up Chibi and placed him back in the backseat. "Go to sleep." 

"Baanchaan…" Green googly eyes came into his line of sight again. 

Ban stared, and sighed. "Oh, all right," he said, giving up. Googly eyes work pretty well on him. "You can call me Banchan. But ONLY you and Ginji." 

"Banchan nice," Chibi declared, climbing into his lap and snuggling once more. 

For the sake of getting some sleep, he gave up on dislodging him, too, and draped his arm around the baby. He decided to just put Chibi back once the kid was asleep… 

But he reached dreamland before the baby did. 

Ginji rolled over in his sleep, cracked open one eye, and smiled. "Ban-chan's getting soft." 

_To be continued..._

-=-=-

**A/N 2**: Does Ban seem...OOC to you or is it just Riyuji? -Rabid Lola 

Thanks to all that reviewed: anonymous, November, DaftSage, Moronicus, Aeris, Invader Androgynous, dream-eater-is-hungry, KarotsaMused, Kawaii-Nezumi, LadyAnnaKyouyama, Millie-chan, and Wielder of Paperclips. WATTA MOUTHFUL! Jes kidding... 

**anonymus, DaftSage, and KarotsaMused**: Thanks for the props! :D 

**November**: KABAYAN! XD Thanks for the props! 

**Moronicus**: Well, that's what happened next. Rabid Lola likes your bio. :D 

**Aeris**: Expect more non-yaoi from the both of us. :D 

**Invader Androgynous**: Can you send me the comic? 

**dream-eater-is-hungry**: Storks? We're not sure... 

**Kawaii-Nezumi**: Yes, we wonder too. 

**Faye-chan**: Sana nagustuhan mo ang chapter na ito. :D 

**Millie-chan**: Yes...both Rabid Lola and I are GinjiXNatsumi and KazukiXRen supporters. 

**Wielder of Paperclips**: No, Master wasn't the victim...yet! 


	4. Enter Kazuki

  
**Authors' Notes**: We went on hiatus!!! -Riyuji   
Sorry people. It's the kind of thing that happens when you don't live in the same house, aren't classmates, and are forced to pass notes through the window. :) -Rabid Lola   
She's serious. By the way, **Shido and Madoka did not do anything**... yet.-Riyuji   
  


**Chapter Four: Enter Kazuki **

"Jinji!" 

Ginji let out a loud "Oof!" as a squirming bundle of energy bounced onto his chest. 

"Jinji! Jinji! Jinji!" 

Groaning, he cracked open one eye and met sparkling green ones, that distinctively seemed to be laughing at him. 

"Chibi…" 

"Jinji! 'eykup!" Chibi tugged at his blond spikes, and poked his face. 

Ginji grinned, he couldn't help it. "I'm awake, I'm awake," he yawned. "Boy, you sure are energetic." He lifted Chibi off his lap and placed him on the driver's seat. Then he noticed that the driver's seat was empty. "Ban-chan?" 

A low chuckle, and Ban's face appeared in Ginji's window. He had risen early to smoke, and a smirk was currently gracing his features. "See what I have to go through with you every morning?" 

"Hehe," Ginji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as Chibi greeted Ban with a singsong, "Hi, Banchan!" 

Ban disappeared, still chuckling, and went around the car. He lifted Chibi from the driver's seat into the back seat. "Good morning, twerp," he said to Chibi as he shut the door. "Ginji, do you think Natsumi's back yet?" 

It was the fifth day of Chibi-care, and still no one had called. Well, not the genuine ones anyway. Two or three phonies had, and between the three of them, Ban, Ginji, and Chibi had proved them phonies. 

Ginji cocked his head, unsure. "Eh…" 

Ban started the car and pulled it out of the alleyway they'd settled in. "We'd better check, so that we can leave the kid and look for a job. I'm tired of eating off Master and Madoka…" he trailed off with a scowl. 

Ginji just grinned. Chibi let out a happy squeal as Ban sped up the car. 

-=-=-

A bell tinkled. 

Paul looked up from wiping the counter. "You're back again?" 

"Not for that," Ban growled. 

"Is Natsumi-chan back yet?" Ginji asked. 

"No…" Paul said, keeping an eye on them as they sat in a booth. 

Tinkle here, tinkle there…not that you idiot. It's the Honky Tonk bells and the ones in Kazuki's hair. 

"Kazu-chan!" Ginji said happily, as the person in question walked over to their booth, greeting Paul on the way. 

"I see you still have Chibi with you," Kazuki said in his mild tone. 

"Yeah, we…hey, how'd you know we named him Chibi?" Ginji asked, a confused look spreading over his face. 

The annaiya just smiled. It slightly unnerved Ginji. 

"Midou-san seems preoccupied," Kazuki observed. 

"No need to point out the obvious, thread-spool," scoffed Ban. 

"Ban-chan's trying to figure out who can babysit Chibi today, since we have to look for a job," Ginji hurriedly intervened, seeing Kazuki's eye twitch. "And we're wondering why his parents aren't looking for him yet…" 

"Which reminds me," Kazuki said thoughtfully. Both men turned their attention to him. He gazed thoughtfully at Chibi. "I think the kid's not from Shinjuku." 

"Not from Shinjuku?" Ban exclaimed. 

"But storks can't fly that far!" Ginji said. 

"…Storks?" Kazuki asked blankly. 

Ban groaned as Ginji explained, "A stork dropped Chibi on our windshield!" 

"…" Kazuki stared at his former Thunder Emperor. 

"It's true, I saw the bird," Ban said grudgingly. 

Kazuki might have stared a bit more…but this was Shinjuku, after all, and the people in question were the Get Backers. So he recovered pretty quickly. "Well, I don't know about that, but I think the kid's half-European." 

"Oh! Like Ban-chan?" Ginji asked brightly. 

"Doesn't he look it?" Kazuki asked the other Get Backer. 

Ban looked meditatively at Chibi, observing him sharply for the first time. "Could be…" 

Chibi had been quiet for a while now. He had looked up from the table to see who it was who was standing before the booth…and blinked once or twice. 

Ginji pointed at Kazuki. "Chibi, that's Kazuki." But the kid kept silent. 

"Chibi?" Ban asked, eyes turning to the strangely quiet baby. 

"That's weird. The last time he was this quiet was when we first found him," said Ginji worriedly. 

Chibi suddenly pointed at the thread man, a smile etching itself onto his features. "Pretty!" 

A vein popped on Kazuki's forehead. 

Paul stared, then resumed polishing. 

Ginji waved his hands frantically. "Eh, don't hurt him, Kazu-chan!" 

Ban chuckled. "Yeah, he's just a kid after all." Then an idea hit him. A very evil idea. 

"Oi! Thread spool! You're feminine coz of that technique of yours, right?" 

Another vein popped. 

"Kazu-chan…" 

"Yes," the other man answered curtly. 

"Problem solved!" 

"Eh?" Ginji turned to his partner. 

Ban had an evil grin on his face. He grabbed Ginji and made a beeline for the door, Ginji protesting wildly as he was being dragged. "Thanks for watching the kid for us!" Ban called back to Kazuki. 

"What?! Waitaminute…" Kazuki gasped out. 

Slam! 

Too late. 

Paul just looked once more at Kazuki, then Chibi, and went back to his wiping. 

Kazuki let out a sigh and turned back to the booth. He realized that Chibi was still pointing at him. 

"Pretty!" the innocent said again. 

-=-=-

"There they are again," said the schoolgirls who passed the Get Backers near the busy intersection by their school. 

"I wonder where they went?" 

A head popped before the two girls, handing a flier to them. "Retrieval Team: Get Backers! If it's stolen, we'll steal it back!" 

Ban's realization of who exactly the two girls were registered too late. 

For once, Ginji was quicker on the uptake. 

"Riko-chan!" Tare-Ginji bounced up and down excitedly. 

Riko Tachibana stared. Then storm clouds gathered above her head. "YOU TWO AGAIN!" she yelled. 

BLAG! With the red bear bag. 

As the two schoolgirls walked away, the other remarked to Riko, "Weirdos." 

"I've been through worse." 

Ginji stared ruefully after them, rubbing his head. "How can cute girls be so strong?" 

Ban's fist hit the top of his head. 

-=-=-

Noontime. 

Growling stomachs. Very very loud. 

"Ban-chan…I'm hungry…" Ginji whined, lowering his signpost. 

"Put it up, idiot, put it up," Ban mumbled incoherently. 

Suddenly, someone popped up beside them. "I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU!!" 

The (very rich looking) middle-aged stranger pumped Ban's hand up and down vigorously. 

Chibi Ban sweatdropped and stared. "Eh?" 

"You're the Get Backers, right? Look! You have a sign!" The man pointed at the obvious placard a staring Tare-Ginji was holding up. 

"Aa, that's right." Ban pushed up his glasses. "Are you a customer?" 

"Hai, hai, hai!" The man nodded so hard Ginji wondered if his neck would snap. Then Ginji gasped and stepped back. "Ban…chan…" A big man stepped up behind the hyper to-be-client; a large, bulldozer-sized man with shades… 

"Hishiki!" Ban growled. 

The man stared placidly at them. "Oh, you must have mistaken me for my cousin. Are you good friends with him?" 

Ban and Ginji stared again, sweatdropped, and opted for a neutral "We've met." 

"How nice," the big man said with a pleasant smile. "Sir," to the man he was obviously bodyguard to. "You must calm down. They may not accept your offer if you are too…say, hyperactive." 

"He knows more words than Hishiki!" Ban said in an aside to Ginji. 

"You're right, Hideo, you're right." The to-be-client backed away and smiled, also pleasantly. "I am Shun Miyanoshita. As I said earlier, I have been looking for you all over the place…" a small, childish frown crossed his face. "I went to the Honky Tonk, like your ads said, but I only saw this oddly dressed…person, and a baby." 

"Um," Ban nodded noncommittally, wondering when this man with probably more genki energy than Ginji get to the point. 

"Anyway, I would like to hire the two of you for a job that needs delicacy, finesse, and _caution_," Miyanoshita said. 

He explained the job to them. Ban and Ginji got the gist…the Miyanoshita family was feuding with the Kojima family. The cause was Shun's great-great-great-great-(Ginji lost track afterwards) grandmother's set of china, currently in the Kojimas' possession. Miyanoshita wanted them to get it back, with as little trouble as possible. He also mentioned that he had been about to hire a hakobiya, aiming for the well-known Kudo Himiko, but he heard she was out. (Ginji saw Ban's eyes narrow at this.) 

"And, you know the other good one…Kuroudo Akabane." Ginji squeaked a little at this. "He's…" Miyanoshita leaned forward confidentially. "_scary_." 

"Wait," Ban interrupted as politely as possible. "Um…Miyanoshita-san, do you have..." 

"Have…?" Miyanoshita prodded. 

"Proof of ownership," Ginji finished. 

"Oh! Oh, of course." Miyanoshita brought out two documents, one a picture of a painting of an old lady (obviously the Minyanoshita matriarch) and a set of china, another a Xerox copy of an ancient, handwritten receipt issued to Yume Miyanoshita. 

"All, right, we take the job!" the Get Backers chorused. 

Miyanoshita named a five figure sum, while Hideo nodded happily behind him. 

"Excuse me, Miyanoshita-san," Ban said. Ginji looked at him in surprise. "Sorry for the odd request, but can you raise the sum a little?" 

"Um…may I know why?" Miyanoshita asked, eyebrows raised, suddenly switching to cool businessman. 

"It's just that we have a kid to take care of," said Ginji in his cheerful, innocent manner. 

Ban winced when he heard it, and raised his hands when he saw the disturbed looks on Miyanoshita and Hideo's faces. "No! It's…not…like…that…" 

-=-=-

Paul watched, ranging between sympathetic and amused, as he watched the Master of the Fuuchoin Ryuu try to handle a hyperactive two-year-old. 

Kazuki was now sitting at the bar, Chibi perched on the stool beside him. His little head could barely peep over the counter. Kazuki's elbows were resting on the counter as he fumed inwardly, a tic throbbing in his forehead. 

Much as Kazuki hated to agree with Ban, the man was right in calling him feminine, and right again that it was because of his training…but his training had contained nothing about the field of Baby Care. 

"Kaz'ki! Kaz'ki pretty!" Chibi said again, bouncing on his chair. Ban's smirk had given him the idea that saying this was a good thing. 

Kazuki sighed. "No, Chibi," he said. "I'm a boy." 

"Boy?" Chibi asked, eyes wide and questioning. He didn't know the concept of male or female yet. 

Kazuki sighed again. "Never mind. But I'm not pretty. Ok? Not. Pretty." 

"Not pretty," Chibi repeated carefully. 

"Better." 

"Do you want anything, Kazuki?" Paul asked, when it seemed safe to talk to the other man. 

"Hai," Kazuki said politely. "Maybe coffee and a sandwich, Paul-san." He turned to the baby. "Have you eaten, Chibi?" 

"Eat," said Chibi seriously. "Kaz'ki, eat." 

Kazuki sweatdropped. "What does that mean?" 

"From my experience," Paul put in. "When he says that, he means he hasn't eaten yet." 

"Oh. What do you want, Chibi." 

"Eat." 

"Um…" 

"I usually feed him half a pizza slice." 

"Ah, okay. Arigato, Paul-san, how much is that?" 

"How I wish you were the caretaker of the kid, those two can't even pay for what the baby eats," Paul lamented, bustling around to prepare the food. 

Kazuki hid a smile. Chibi, obliviously happy, stood on the stool, and reached for a couple of paper cups. 

"Chibi, you might fall!" Kazuki got the objects for him and sat him down carefully again. 

"Ayig'to," Chibi told Kazuki, smiling. 

A pleased, surprised smile spread over Kazuki's face at the baby's innocent friendliness. 

The food came soon, and both Chibi and Kazuki thanked Paul. The thread man saw a smile similar to his own earlier touch Paul's usually expressionless mouth at the baby's thanks. Carefully, Kazuki fed Chibi, cutting up the pizza first and then spearing the pieces with a fork. He ate one-handed. 

Though Kazuki knew babies needed nutrition, feeding Chibi seemed to be a mistake. Within minutes, Chibi was fully tanked and scrambling all over the place more actively than before. 

Kazuki sighed as he sipped his coffee, watching Chibi run around the Honky Tonk. He seemed to be playing an imaginary game, making sound effects and spreading his hands. 

"Chibi, be careful!" Kazuki called for the nth time, feeling slightly nervous each time Chibi slid off a seat or narrowly missed a table corner. 

"Better pick him up, before he hurts himself," Paul said. 

"Chibi, come here," Kazuki called. 

"BOOM!' Chibi smashed his hands together and laughed. 

Kazuki sighed again, put down his coffee, and got up. "Chibi…" 

Chibi ran. 

Kazuki seriously considered using his strings. 

"Kaz'ki! Catch!" Chibi cried gleefully. 

After an inner struggle, Kazuki gave up and ran. 

It lasted a minute, Chibi somehow managing to evade his grasp every time. Finally, disheveled, Kazuki held the struggling, giggling baby under one arm and plopping him on the seat beside him and sitting down. 

"Don't. Move," Kazuki said wearily. 

"Kaz'ki, look, Kaz'ki!" Chibi stood on the stool, wobbling, his hands waving in another inexplicable illustration of…something. 

"CHIBI! You might…" 

Too late. With a short squeak, Chibi tumbled off the stool, wildly grabbing for any hold… 

His flailing fist caught Kazuki's long tail of hair, and he pulled it with him as he fell. 

YANK. 

Kazuki yelled, tumbling backwards off his stool. 

A loud crash, with an accompanying jingle. 

Paul peered over the counter, seeing Chibi seated on the floor, wailing, and Kazuki face down, hair still caught in the baby's hand. 

"Still alive down there?" 

"Ooow…" Kazuki's bells jingled as he lifted his head, eyes swirled with pain. 

Chibi stopped crying, and stared. Then, he tugged painfully at Kazuki's hair. 

Tug, tug. 

Jingle, jingle. 

"Chibi…" 

A giggle escaped Chibi's lips as he tugged again, hard. 

"Rattle." 

Tug. 

"Ow!" 

Paul sighed. It was going to be a long day. 

-=-=-

The mansion they approached managed to be huge, dark, and scary even in the middle of the day. 

There were tuxedo-wearing guards around, who must not have been very good, for they didn't notice the rustling in the bushes. 

Ban and Ginji deposed of them easily with a few punches. It was inside the house when they ran into trouble. 

After knocking out a whole squadron of more tuxedo-wearing guards, Ban and Ginji managed to (carefully) grab the box of china and run. 

Once in the car, Ban ranted to Ginji, "There were too many damn guards, and the family wasn't even home!" The Subaru sped out of the vicinity of the mansion. "It would have been a lot easier if Himiko were here, just one dose of her Oblivion, or her Flame one, and we would have done it in less time…" 

He continued in this vein for several minutes, when Ginji interrupted with a happy-evil-Ginji-grin. "Ban, you miss Himiko-chan, don't you?" 

"Shut up," Ban growled. 

They drove on for a few minutes in silence. 

"And you miss Natsumi." 

"Late comeback, Ban-chan, late comeback." 

-=-=-

It was already mid-afternoon. 

Kazuki was seated at a park bench, legs crossed primly, apparently engrossed in a book. He wasn't, actually…this was the cover he adapted when he didn't want to be cooped up in his apartment while listening to his strings. Thus, his attention was divided between sorting and filtering information coming in through his ears, and idle enjoyment of what was coming in through his eyes. 

Well, today his attention was divided into three. He was listening (though there wasn't much today), reading, and watching over the little kid peering into the pond nearby, fascinated with the fish. 

"Fish!" Chibi said, squealing as some darted near, then far. He ran back to Kazuki, still looking towards the pond, then cautiously toddled to it again. 

"Be careful, Chibi, you might fall in," Kazuki called. At least the former hyperactivity had worn of…and he'd stopped tugging Kazuki's hair, too. Sort of. He still did at times. 

Like now. 

Chibi suddenly climbed onto Kazuki's lap and tugged at the long tail, the bells jingling softly. 

"Kaz'ki, bells!" 

"_No_, Chibi," Kazuki sighed, putting the book down and prying Chibi's hands off his hair. He held the baby in front of him and eyed him sternly. "Don't. Touch." 

"Oh, what an adorable son you have!" a voice trilled. Kazuki sweatdropped and turned to see and old lady in a colorful kimono, standing on a path and leaning on a walking stick. She smiled at him, face spanned with jovial wrinkles. 

"Er, obaasan, he's not…" 

"Does he take after you or his father?" she interrupted, oblivious to what he was saying. 

The elderly lady wondered why the pretty young mother jerked up, swept up the baby, and stormed off, the child staring curiously over her shoulder. 

The elder shook her head. "Girls these days," she muttered. 

-=-=-

Ban and Ginji parked outside the Honky Tonk, Ginji twisting his hands together apologetically, Ban grumbling. They'd done the job, and gotten a decent pay…only problem was, instead of the six figure check, they'd gotten only five figures. Ban still wasn't sure if some of the china broke because of the jerky movement of the Subaru, or because he'd been stupid enough to leave Ginji and the china in the backseat together. Oh well. 

The Honky Tonk door swung open with the familiar tinkle. "Hi, Master," Ginji called. 

"Got a job?" 

"Un," Ginji said, looking around for Kazuki and Chibi tuning out before Paul could ask about paying the tab. Catching sight of them, he chuckled and nudged Ban. "Ban-chan, look." 

Ban looked, and a smirk crossed his face. Chibi was seated on one of the tables in a booth, pulling Kazuki's hair gently, enjoying the ringing of the bells as he did so. Kazuki was out like a light, slumped onto the tabletop, and…snoring lightly. 

"The kid exhausted Kazuki," Paul remarked. 

"Y'know, if I didn't know better, I'd say they were mother and child." 

Ginji eyed Ban, making sure no threads appeared to attack him. Apparently Kazuki was truly asleep. 

Ban and Ginji walked quietly to the table. Chibi looked up. "Banchan! Jinji!" he said joyfully, holding out his arms. Ban grinned, picked him up and set him on the ground, while Ginji shook Kazuki gently. "Kazu-chan. Wake up." 

"Huh?" The thread man awoke, eyes bleary with sleep. "Oh, you're here already? Sorry, I dozed off…" 

"Was Chibi that bad?" Ginji asked. 

"No, not really," Kazuki smiled reassuringly. "But his hyperactivity could give you a run for your money." 

Paul snorted from behind his newspaper. They didn't know whether it was in agreement or not. 

"Anyway, arigato, Kazu-chan!" 

"Yeah, thanks, thread spool." 

"Did you get a job?" 

"Un," Ginji said happily. "Now we're going to get the necessities." 

"Let's go already, Ginji, before it gets dark." Ban was at the door, Chibi toddling beside him happily. 

"Bye Master, bye Kazu-chan!" Ginji scrambled after his partner. 

Kazuki yawned and stretched. Suddenly, the door opened again. Ginji held it open with one hand, his other in Chibi's grasp. Chibi looked in, and gave a small wave. "Bye Kaz'ki!" 

In spite of himself, Kazuki smiled. 

_To be continued..._

**Authors' Notes**: Thanks for the reviews... we'd write down all the names but we're on a deadline to keep Rabid Lola alive. Right, Wielder? By the way... I think Rabid Lola is Shun's great(etc.) grandmother. (Rabid Lola whaps Riyuji) 

**icefirefly, dream-eater-is-hungry, Peter the Muggle, KarotsaMused, Reiko-sama379, Yuki Midou, Invader Androgynous, Philips**: Thank you for all the props, people! Hope you enjoyed the chapter (as much as we did writing it!). 

**Ichigo Akira**: We're still planning Akabane's. We've got a good one so far.

**November**: I know how a beetle looks like! There's one in my garage! XD Fwehehe!

**Faye-chan**: I'm Pinoy and female, thankyouverymuch. :D -Rabid Lola

**Paris Lee**: Thank you for the Juubei idea! (showers you in confetti) We thought of lots of evil stuff. :D

**ViL**: (All Emishi-ish) Here is the warrior of beauty and asthetics, Fuuchoin Kazuki Ranger! 

**Wielder of Paperclips**: Find _rattle_ this time! 

**Eizan Fujishima**: How did you know Kazuki was gonna show up?!


	5. Chaos Ensues

**Disclaimer:**_ Di kami ang nag-aari ng Get Backers. Sana naman, pero...sayang._ Translation: We don't own the Get Backers. We wish but...too bad for us. :) 

**Chapter Five: Chaos Ensues**

"Banchan, Jinji." 

Both men groaned and stirred. It being mid-second week of foster fatherhood, they'd become resigned to the periodical wake-up calls in the middle of the night. Both wondered _how_ Chibi woke up, and what he did. Sometimes, Ban still feared for the interior of the Ladybug… 

Blue eyes and brown settled on the solemn baby, and the baby bottle containing only water in his hand. 

"Drink," Chibi said, shoving the bottle into their faces. 

Ban groaned and faced the window, "You do it, Ginji." 

Ginji bent down, rummaging through the paper bag at his feet. "Ban-chan?" 

"Aa?" 

"There's no more milk." 

"What?!" Ban asked grumpily. Then he remembered. "I thought I told you to give him milk only three times a day?!" 

"Drink!" came the annoyed voice of Chibi, nudging the bottle on Ban's shoulder. 

"Eh…" Ginji sweatdropped. 

Ban sighed. "Sorry, twerp, there's no more milk…" 

The round face fell, and the eyes went round and mournful. "Driiink?" Chibi asked plaintively. 

Ginji shook his head, his own eyes as round and as mournful, as if this could help him communicate with the kid. "Sorry, Chibi, no more…" 

Chibi's lower lip trembled, and Ban and Ginji winced…but he only put the bottle down and lay down in the backseat. His eyes were staring pitifully, like a sad puppy's, and his face was the picture of sorrow. 

"Poor Chibi," Ginji said sadly. He and the kid could relate. Very well. So could Ban, actually. 

"We'll get milk from Paul when we go to the Honky Tonk," Ban said, resigned. Chibi seemed to perk up at this. 

"Where's Hevn-san when we need her?" Ginji lamented. 

It took a moment for it to register that Ginji was serious…then Ban's fist came in direct contact with Ginji's skull. 

"AHOU!" 

Chibi stared, hunger forgotten. 

Ginji rubbed the sore spot and whined, 'But Ban-chan, I'm sure she's got enough milk! Even more!" 

Ban was beet red, and he rubbed his face and groaned, "That's not the point…" 

Chibi's crying broke into the conversation…not the wailing, loud cry, but a low, steady sobbing… 

"Twerp, don't cry…" 

"Eh, Chibi, it's okay, we're hungry too…" 

None of them got back to sleep that night. 

-=-=-

The sun was high in the sky when Paul emerged from fixing the back room of the Honky Tonk. He sighed. Times were tough without Natsumi around. 

His gaze fell on the only people in the whole café…Ban, Ginji, and Chibi. They were occupying a booth instead of the bar. Mostly because they were asleep. Ban was slumped on the table, Ginji was leaning back in the cushioned chair, a slight dribble hanging at the corner of his mouth, and Chibi was lying on the table itself, drinking from his bottle, and his eyes were fluttering open…and closed…and open…and closed… 

Paul blinked a couple times, wondering whether he should wake them up and have another one up on their tab or leave them be. He decided on the latter, and moved to wipe the counter. 

Unfortunately, Chibi chose just that moment to let his hand, the bottle still in it, fall limply away. The baby was asleep…but his hand still fell heavily on Ban's head. 

"Hey…!" the Get Backer sat up sharply. His eye fell on Chibi's hand, and he sighed, yawned, and rubbed his eyes. "Aw, man, his hands are heavy for a kid…" 

Ban's stomach growled. 

Paul began to pray, _Not the other one, not the other one…_

Poor Paul. Ginji sat up straight, stretched, and yawned. "Finally, we got to sleep." 

"For about five hours," Ban grumbled bad-temperedly. 

"Still," Ginji shrugged. "At least Chibi stayed quiet, and now he's finally asleep." He smiled at the sleeping baby. Then his face fell, and Paul saw what was coming next. Inwardly, he groaned. 

"Ban-chan, I'm hungry." 

"Sorry, we're closed." Paul hurriedly retreated into the back room. 

Ban came fully awake and was behind the counter in seconds, banging on the door wildly. "Paul! Hey! Open up, dammit!" 

"We're closed," Paul's muffled voice stubbornly insisted. 

"Ban-chan, Chibi's…" Ginji frantically tried to shush his partner as the baby on the table stirred. 

Ban brushed him off, cursed and banged on the door even more wildly. "Paul!!!" 

Paul banged back. 

Ginji sighed, picked up the still-sleeping Chibi carefully, and walked out of the Honky Tonk unnoticed. 

"Paul! Come out, we're hungry, dammit! We'll pay you as soon as we get a job!!" 

"You don't want to add a broken door to your tab, Ban!" 

Ban growled and the banging became somewhat…lighter. 

It ceased enough for them to hear the ringing of the Honky Tonk bells. Shido walked in to see Ban with his clenched fist inches away from Paul's face. They seemed to be engaged in some sort of glaring contest, even though Shido didn't know how Ban could see Paul's eyes. 

"Midou!" Shido exclaimed. 

Paul calmly ducked under Ban's arm and shut the back door behind him. Glowering, Ban returned to his seat, and began to brood while smoking silently. "Shido, what will you have?" Paul asked. 

Shido shook his head and walked to Ban's table, dropping a large paper bag of supplies in front of him. "Just passed by to deliver something off Madoka…" 

"Oh, I see, you've become a hakobiya!" Ban jeered, heedless of his safety. "Hah! Who's the better Get Backer now?" 

"MIDOU!!" 

Paul sighed as Shido tackled Ban, and Ban leapt up to swing at him. The paper bag lay on the table, harmless and forgotten. The two growled and cursed as they brawled, and Paul silently begged the fates to spare him from property damage. 

Just then, the bell tinkled again, and Paul glanced at the door to see one Emishi Haruki, his cheerful smile wilting into puzzlement as he stopped short in the doorway. Juubei was behind him, holding the door open for a resigned-looking Ginji, who was carrying Chibi on one arm. The baby pulled gleefully at Ginji's yellow spikes. "Thanks, Juubei, but he woke up, anyway." 

"Midou-han? Shido-kun?" Emishi said tentatively, as he watched Ban pull Shido's bandanna over his eyes and Shido swing and kick simultaneously, at least one landing on Ban. 

"WHAT IS IT?!" the two men roared back at a cowering Chibi-Emishi and a sweatdropping Tare-Ginji and Chibi. 

"Ah…nani?" Juubei suddenly found his arms full of wriggling kid as Ginji and Emishi worked in perfect timing, successfully trapping and restraining their respective partners. With minimal trouble, they got Shido to stay at the bar and Ban back to his booth. 

"Hey, Ban-chan, what's this?" Ginji held up the paper bag, and opened it without waiting for an answer. 

Ban grumbled something that sounded like "Monkey-man brought it." 

Ginji had pulled out a can of powdered baby milk, a couple of cloth diapers, and several take-out cartons ("Food!" he gleefully cried) when someone cleared his throat. 

"Eh?" Ban and Ginji looked up. 

"What do I do with this?" Juubei was still at the open doorway, sweatdropping and holding Chibi, who had snatched off his eyegear and was now trying it on for size. 

"Ooooh," Chibi said, looking at the now purple-tinted world. 

"Did he get something from me?" Juubei asked, his hand flailing around aimlessly. 

Ban slapped his forehead. Emishi was chuckling. 

"Just bring him here, Juubei, arigato!" Ginji said. 

Juubei walked slowly to their table, apparently afraid of dropping the kid. 

"Ah, give him to me." Ban stood and plucked Chibi from Juubei's grasp, setting the kid down on the tabletop. 

"Oh yeah, Emishi, Juubei, why are the two of you here?" Ginji asked, prying the eyegear from Chibi's grip and returning it to Juubei. Chibi made noises of protest, and Ginji absentmindedly gave him a piece of meat to munch on, while shoving one of the takeout cartons to Ban. 

"Juubei-han said he had to meet Kazuki-han here sometime today, and he asked me to help him get here. I had nothing better to do, so…" the Joker grinned cheerfully. 

"And having something to do means slacking off and flirting?" Emishi couldn't tell if this was Shido or Ban. Possibly both. He let it pass. 

Conversation ceased at that point, and they waited… 

And waited… 

And waited some more. 

The arms of the clock on the wall were getting dizzy from spinning so much. Granted it was only three rounds, but still. Ban woke up from a light doze to see Ginji, also slumped on the table. And Chibi was not there. 

"Chibi?! Where is he?!" Ban leapt up to see Shido observing an arguing Juubei and Emishi: Chibi was seated on a bar stool between them, his head turning from one to the other. 

"I bet I can make him laugh more than you can." 

"If this is about my having no sense of humor again…" Juubei growled. 

Ban butted in. Boy he didn't seem to be thinking today. "Well samurai-boy, he's right for once. You're about as funny as a doorknob." 

A vein throbbed in Juubei's forehead. "I can prove I have humor!" he cried. 

He slammed down on one knee in front of Chibi and spewed out something involving green sugar, cats, and massaging chairs. 

Chibi stared, his expression something like, "And then…?" 

In his sleep, Ginji covered his ears and moaned, "Noo…not again…" 

Emishi laughed outright at Juubei…not because of his 'humor'. "See? Even Ginji-han agrees! You're HOPELESS!" 

"And he's asleep," Shido remarked neutrally. 

"I'M NOT…" Juubei began in a rage. 

"Just watch me!" Emishi declared. He leapt in front of Chibi, shoving Juubei off-screen. "Look at me, Chibi-han!" 

Chibi's wide eyes fell on Emishi's face, now distorted by… it's impossible to describe how distorted Emishi could make his face. Maybe the closest would be, 'chameleon-like'. You know, like when the creature's sticking out it's long, long tongue? 

"I don't hear him laughing," Juubei said snidely. 

Undaunted, Emishi straightened up. "All right! Maybe this'll work! One… Two… Three!" And suddenly music blasted from nowhere and Emishi did the dance that looked like a cross between an octopus, worm and a jellyfish. 

And Chibi still wasn't laughing. In fact, he looked disturbed. 

"I think we should rescue Chibi, Ban-chan." Tare-Ginji tugged on his partner's sleeve. 

Ban stared at his partner. "Since when were you awake?" 

Juubei faced Emishi defiantly. "I can do that too!" He did not know, of course, exactly _what_ Emishi was doing, as he couldn't see. 

"Hah! All right," Emishi said, staring Juubei in the (blind) eye. "Do the Floppy Dance!" 

Silence. 

Silence. 

MORE silence. 

"You think he's gonna do it?" Ban commented in an aside to Ginji. 

"I don't know," Ginji whispered back. 

You could see the beads of sweat, and the nervous crease in Juubei's forehead. He raised his hand…and twitched. 

"You can't even start," Emishi sneered. 

Twitch, twitch, twitch. 

"I'm betting you half the next pizza we can pay for that he won't," Ban said. 

"I don't think I'm in the mood for betting now, Ban-chan." 

"Shh! Look!" Ban said. 

Feebly, Juubei's hands began to move. Then his feet. 

Then he fell to his knees and wailed, "I CAAAAAAAN'T!" 

The others were respectfully silent while Emishi danced and pranced around gaily, "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!" 

Something in the staid samurai-doctor snapped. Without even thinking of using his needles, he leapt at Emishi and (Gasp!) began a brawl. 

"Hey!" Shido suddenly snapped out of his neutral observation and tried to separate them. He became pretty involved soon. 

"Not in here!" Paul bellowed, snatching Chibi off the stool and to safety. 

"No use, monkey-man, you're not strong enough to stop them," Ban drawled from his seat. 

"Wanna help?!" the Beastmaster roared, and a long hand emerged from the tangle of arms, legs, and fists and dragged Ban in by the collar. 

Of course, Ban brought Tare-Ginji along by the ear, the poor guy squealing all the way. 

This continued for about ten more minutes, miraculously staying in one spot. Clouds of dust began to rise, Tare-Ginji popping out waving his arms frantically every so often. 

It penetrated, then, that the baby in Paul's arms was laughing his head off. 

They stopped, Ginji flat on the floor, his eyes all swirly, Emishi dogpiled on him with Juubei yanking at the Joker's ponytail, and Shido seated on the needle-man, he and Ban grappling at each other's throats. 

"Heeheeheehee," Chibi gulped out, pointing at them. 

"See?! He's LAUGHING!" Juubei and Emishi said at the same time. 

Paul sighed in exasperation. "What a sadistic little baby," he muttered. 

"He was laughing at me," Emishi said. 

"Wrong, me!" 

"No, me!" 

"Me!" 

"Me!" 

"Me!" 

Shido dragged Ban and Ginji back to their place. "This is not our fight." 

Chibi stopped laughing, beginning to wriggle in Paul's arms, a worried expression making his way onto his face. A flash of panic dawned in Paul's eyes. Quickly putting the baby on the counter, he rushed to the back room. 

Emishi looked at Chibi and pointed at the baby. "Look! He's dancing! Let me join you Chibi-han!" 

Chibi did the following. 

First, he started tapping his foot, his eyes squinted, lips pursed. His hands clasped themselves in front of him, and he began to sway, back and forth, back and forth, knees bent. Then, he began to make small paces, from side to side, the expression on his face looking like he was…_ trying _to hold something in… 

"Woah, you can really dance, Chibi-han!" Emishi exclaimed, carefully following Chibi's movements. He got carried away, because in a sudden spurt of exuberance, he lifted Chibi over his head, swung him around, and hugged him. "You're more entertaining than Juubei-han!" 

Well, Ban and Ginji didn't notice because Ginji was busy trying to keep Shido and Ban from tearing the spikes out of each other's heads. And before they knew it… 

Emishi suddenly felt something soak into his shirt. He looked down… 

"AAAAAAAAAH!" 

Paul came out of the back room, towels, diapers, and soap in his hand…and groaned. "Crap. Too late." 

"Haruki? What's wrong?" Juubei asked. 

"Midou-han! Ginji-han! HELP!!!" 

Chaos ensued. 

And bells tinkled, and Kazuki was there, holding the door open for a black-haired high school student. 

"I'm back!" Natsumi called cheerfully…then she stared. Was that a… _baby_ in Ginji's arms? 

And why was Chibi-Ban flying at her, in slow motion, with open arms and a joyful expression, crying… 

"Natsumi-chaaaaaaaan!" 

-=-=-

**A/N:** Chibi's "weewee dance" is based on what Riyuji (still) does when waiting to go to the bathroom. :D Like right now. No kidding. 

To **Moronicus, KarotsaMused, acbworm, Faye-chan, Millie-chan,**: Thanks for the props! 

To **Ichigo Akira**: Yes, Akabane will meet Chibi...soon. 

To **Wielder of Paperclips**: Make a decent review na lang! 

To **ViL**: See! We're "EDUCATIONAL!". Hahaha! Yes, Akabane-san will appear soon. Yes it will be non-yaoi, throughout but what was just hinted was about the most amount of romance you will see in this fic. 

To **Eizan Fujishima**: Stop guessing! From now on...please send all guesses to siamesebrains yahoo.com . :D 

To **Philips**: Ang haba ng review mo! 

To **The Corpse of One Legato**: Hey new reviewer! As said before, Akabane will come soon. 

To **Scyre Liquith XII**: Shadow Phoenix! Thanks for the review. 

To **Veggie Briefs**: Another new revierwer! We're just following where the story takes us.


	6. Havoc in the Hospital

  
  
**Disclaimer**: We don't it. As usual. 

**Chapter Six: Havoc in the Hospital **

"Say 'aaaah….'" 

"No." Chibi sullenly crossed his arms and shook his head at Ban. 

"Chiiibiii…" Ginji groaned. 

Ban was severely tempted to use the Jagan so he could win the damn staring contest Chibi was setting up. 

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?" Natsumi asked. She, Ban, Ginji and Chibi were in one booth…she and Ginji were sitting across Ban, and Chibi was seated on the table. 

"He won't let you," Paul remarked. He was referring to Chibi. 

Natsumi had been back for four days now, and she and Chibi had struck up quite a friendship, as she'd babysat him at least twice in those four days…but of course, his favorite caretakers were always Ban and Ginji. They had to explain to her, though, where exactly Chibi had come from. And exactly where, they didn't know… 

Chibi was being a very picky baby today. He didn't want to be fed by "Nats'mi" or "Jinji", but by "Banchan". And now that Banchan had been coerced into feeding him, he didn't want to eat. 

"Chi-_bi_…EAT!" Ban's hand held the spoon an inch from Chibi's mouth. 

"NO!" And Chibi became violent, giving the spoon an angry push upwards. 

"Agh!" Ban got a faceful of food. 

Chibi was still upset, and he threw a tantrum, for the first time. "No! No! No! No!" 

His flailing hands hit the bowl, upset his glass, and sent the spoon flying across the room. Natsumi squealed as she got a lapful of water, and Ginji sparked a little when food spattered on his shirt and in his hair. Paul, who had successfully dodged the spoon, snickered. "He has good aim." 

"Shut up, Paul." 

"Hidoi, Master!" Tare-Ginji wailed. 

"Chibi, what's wrong?" Natsumi asked, picking up the baby and wiping him off with a towel she produced from her apron pocket. Once again, his arms were crossed and he was pouting, and his head… 

"Ban-san! Gin-chan! He's hot!" 

"Eh?" Ban and Ginji looked up from wiping themselves off. 

"He has a fever! Master, get the thermometer!" 

Paul stared. 

"What?" Natsumi asked. 

"I have a _thermometer?_" 

"Hai, in the medicine cabinet!" 

Silence. 

"I _have_ a medicine cabinet?" 

Natsumi, who had suddenly become all businesslike, proceeded to give him a set of insanely complicated instructions which he somehow managed to understand. He disappeared into the back room, and she rounded on Ban and Ginji. 

"_What have the three of you been_ doing?!" 

-=-=-

"Natsumi, you're overreacting." 

"No, I'm not, Ban-san," Natsumi countered from the backseat, where she was holding Chibi. "We don't have medicine in the Honky Tonk. And who knows, it might be serious…look how miserable he is." 

Chibi was cradled in the waitresses' lap, sniffing mournfully. He really wasn't feeling good. Ginji kept looking worriedly over his shoulder, wondering if his little buddy was ok. 

"It's _only a fever,_" Ban insisted. 

"BLEAGH!" As if on cue, Chibi threw up all over the place. He stared helplessly at the grownups, still looking very, very sick. 

Natsumi screeched, then sighed. "Ugh…I'm wet…again…" 

"CHIBI!" Ban exclaimed. 

Startled by Ban's shout, the kid began to cry. 

"Ban-chan, don't get mad!" Tare-Ginji waved his arms frantically, at the same time trying to help Natsumi mop up what she could. 

But Ban kept complaining and Chibi kept crying. Ginji and Natsumi looked at each other, and sweatdropped. 

"Natsumi-chan, I'm getting a headache…" 

-=-=-

Ginji, Natsumi, and Chibi were in the waiting room of the pediatrician. As they hadn't called the doctor for reservations, they had to wait in line before they could see him. Ban, in the meantime, had been sent outside grumbling the minute his cigarette made an appearance. 

Chibi was curled up against Natsumi's chest, all cleaned up. They'd had to go back to the Honky Tonk so Chibi and Natsumi could change and so Ban could make a quick clean-up and spray Lysol all over the interior of his car. Now the Subaru smelled very strongly of Crisp Linen, and too much of a good smell isn't that nice anymore… Chibi was sucking at a rapidly-emptying milk bottle, and his eyelids were drooping slowly. He still had a fever, and they still didn't know why. 

Ginji, on the other hand, was beginning to fidget impatiently. First, his foot began tapping. Then, he unconsciously stood up and began pacing back and forth. And finally, he recognized the symptoms. _Uh-oh. Gotta go._ "Natsumi-chan?" 

"Hai?" The girl looked up from the magazine she'd been flipping through with one hand. 

"I'm going to the bathroom for just a while, ok? If the doctor calls, go ahead." 

"Sure, Gin-chan!" Natsumi said cheerfully, and the blond Get Backer smiled back and left the room. 

The waitress was so absorbed in her magazine, she didn't notice that ten minutes passed…more than long enough for a normally functioning human to use the necessities. And when the secretary called her for their turn… 

"Oh no," she groaned, realizing her error in letting Ginji off alone as she picked up Chibi and made her way into the office. She stopped a young intern who was exiting the office and asked him to go outside and find Ban. 

-=-=-

Ban was lounging just outside the hospital door, smoking. Damn hospital staff, they wouldn't let him smoke inside, and he badly needed one right now…Really, Natsumi was overreacting, he'd gotten worse sicknesses and had healed with minimal medication… 

A young intern came out of the hospital and stood in front of him, clearing his throat. "Excuse me, Midou-san…" 

"What?" Ban asked, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. This was polite for him. 

"Mizuki-san sent me to tell you that we lost him." 

Ban's eyes went wide and he grabbed the young man by his collar. "What?! But he wasn't THAT sick! It wasn't that serious!" 

The intern squeaked frantically and flapped his hands, trying to free himself from the strong grip. "Eep! No, not the baby, Midou-san, your friend! The blond one!" 

Ban sweatdropped, and it took a minute for it to register…_Oh. He's talking about Ginji._ He released the man and tried to cover up his mistake. "Eh. That was a dirty trick," he said, shoving one hand into his pocket and pushing his glasses up. He turned and stomped into the hospital, still with a huge sweatdrop hovering above his head. 

The intern chased after him, calling frantically, "Midou-san! Wait! No smoking…!" 

-=-=-

Four floors away, Tare-Ginji wandered morosely through the corridors. "Ban-chan's going to kill me…" 

He'd found the bathroom with no trouble, but upon getting out… 

He stared at the map in front of him, depicting the hospital floor he was on, and sweatdropped. "Eto…I think I'm lost again." 

He waddled away, calling out into the deserted halls. "Ban-chan?" 

No answer. 

"Natsumi-chan?" 

Silence. 

"_Chibi?_" 

As if the baby could help right now. 

Suddenly…"No shouting in the corridors!" A nurse that looked a LOT like Kazuki popped up beside him. In fact, Ginji almost glomped her when he realized that she DEFINITELY wasn't 2-D…chestwise. 

He reverted back to his normal form under her sharp glare and muttered a hasty "Gomen" before walking away. 

He ducked into an empty corridor and breathed out a sigh of relief. _Okay, that was weird. _

He found himself in front of an unmarked door. Carefully, he opened it in hopes of finding someone who could help him out. Al he saw was darkness, only lit by a single lightbulb dangling from the ceiling. It illuminated a single cold metal table. 

"Ano…anybody here?" 

Again, no answer. 

Suddenly, the lights blasted on, blinding him momentarily. A hand tugged at his sleeve, and he turned to find a small man in what looked like a cross between a lab gown and a doctor's coat staring intently at him. Suddenly, the man clapped his hands together with childlike glee. "Oh, you'll make a very good specimen…er, patient," 

"Nani?!" 

"I agree, he's **perfect!"** a curly-headed, stout woman who came up to Ginji's shoulder appeared on his other side and began poking him experimentally. The rabid blinking behind her THICK, one-inch lenses made her beady eyes look creepier than they already were. 

"Come, young master, to the table!" Another man popped up and the three simultaneously began tugging at him. 

"Hey, wait a minute, I'm not a patient…Whoa!" He overbalanced as they dragged him onto the floor then lifted him onto the table. "Hey, hey, hey, stop…!" but Ginji's struggles were futile. Somehow, the three smaller humans got him strapped to the metal table (which was as cold as it looked), dazed and swirly-eyed. 

The three doctors stood over him, looking infinitely more menacing from his current point of view. 

"Let the games begin!" 

He did not like the sound of that. 

Suddenly, there was a swarm of many OTHER similarly intimidating doctors, surrounding the table and clapping their hands with the same glee the previous three had. One carried a huge tank almost as big as himself, with a big red 'ANESTHESIA' splashed onto it. Another held what looked like a gas mask and two feet of rubber tubing. And then through his panic, Ginji heard the grating of wheels and then the soft _clink, clink, clink_ of something metallic…his hand twitched electricity as his mind frantically tried to process the sound. 

And when he turned his head he caught sight of a doctor pushing a rack of sharp, shiny objects, with shiny blue handles… 

Scalpels. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" 

-=-=-

Ban was talking to Natsumi in the doctor's office, trying to figure out where Ginji had gotten himself to, when the lights crackled and went out. Almost immediately, the emergency lights went on, and in the dim lighting Ban, Natsumi, and Chibi (and the doctor) looked at each other upon hearing a faint, far-off scream. 

"Nah…that can't be…" Ban began. 

The main lights came on again, then off. And they began to flicker. 

"Jinji?" Chibi said questioningly. 

"Oh crap." 

The pediatrician blinked owlishly as Natsumi leapt after Ban, snatching up Chibi and calling out "Ban-san!" Then his office was empty. 

And he reacted, very, very late. "Ah…hey! Wait!" 

-=-=-

_Oh, damndamndamndamndamndamndamn…_

Flicker on, flicker off. Flicker on, flicker off. Static in the air, frightened beyond wits. 

"GINJI!" 

"Ban-san, wait!" 

"Banchan!" 

Natsumi caught up with Ban, her legs pumping hard to keep up with his long running strides. "Ban-san, how do you know we're going in the right direction?" 

"Don't ask, just run!" 

They'd run down a few floors to the underground section of the hospital when they heard more screaming. And suddenly a horde of doctors in lab gowns raced past them, all smelling faintly singed with crackles of static around them, and shouting something about an unbalanced electricity-generating patient. In fact, Ban thought he heard one shouting, "Scientific breakthrough! Scientific breakthrough!" 

Ban and Natsumi looked at each other once more and then continued racing down the halls. 

They found the broken-down, unmarked door, which still had crackles of residual electricity flickering around it. Cautiously, they peeked in. 

The room was…a mess. Scalpels lay all over the floor, an overturned rack was smashed into the wall, the metal table was smoking and still glowing a little with electric charge, the gas mask was cooked, and the large anesthetic tank (thankfully unpunctured) was being used as a barricade by several more doctors cowering in the corner. 

Cowering in the opposite corner was a shivering, electricity-generating Tare-Ginji. 

"Scalpels…scalpels…scalpels…nooo…." 

"Poor Gin-chan," Natsumi said sympathetically, putting down Chibi. 

The baby toddled over to Tare-Ginji. Poke, poke. "Jinji?" 

Ban sighed in resignation and picked up his partner. "It'll be hours till he's back to normal, come on, let's go…" 

"I really hope we don't have to pay for this," he muttered as they walked out of the room. 

-=-=-

Unfortunately, once they were a floor or so up, the lights went off again. 

"GINJI!" Ban bashed Ginji on the head. 

"Hidoi! It wasn't me, Ban-chan!" Ginji whined. 

And then a beam of light focused at the top of the stairs they had been about to climb, and in the spotlight was the group of three doctors, the small man, the slightly bigger one, and the curly-haired glasses-wearing woman. Out of nowhere, music began to blast, heroic and strident. 

"Them again!" Tare-Ginji cowered behind Ban, Natsumi, and Chibi. 

"How dare you disturb the workings of the Chosen Ones!" the small man exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose. 

"Advocates of the laws of science, defenders of the truth, and faithful followers of the path of Discovery!" the other exclaimed. 

"We have come to teach you a lesson, one you'll never forget!" 

"Get ready!" 

The crash of a gong. "Tremendous Trio, the Sovereigns of Surgery!" They all struck assorted poses. 

Crickets chirped as Ban, Ginji, Natsumi, and Chibi sweatdropped. 

The three frowned. "Uh…Tremendous Trio, the Sovereigns of Surgery!" one of them said weakly, and the gong crashed again. 

"And…their army!" and the crowd of lab-gown wearing doctors appeared behind them. 

Ginji sighed. "Oh no…" 

"I'm not in the mood," Ban snarled, sounding a little petulant. 

"Should we run, Ban-san?" Natsumi asked. She was pretty calm. 

"No, it's okay, we'll handle this." In a flash, Ban and Ginji were attacking "the Sovereigns of Surgery…and their Army." 

"One thousand volts!" 

"Snake…BITE!" 

"ATTAACK!!!" Battle cries echoed, clouds of dust rose and lights flickered erratically on and off. 

Chibi, caught up in the excitement, pumped his fists up and down and screamed, "Banchan Jinji Banchan SNAKEBITE!" 

And suddenly there was a sick, squelching sound and a fantastically evil smell. 

Natsumi turned in horror and pinched her nose. "Chibi!!" 

All fighting ceased, the doctors stared, and ran off, screaming, "Mercy!!" 

Ban and Ginji groaned and covered their noses. 

Suddenly, the pediatrician popped up beside them and adjusted his glasses, scribbling rapidly on a piece of paper. "Oh, it looks like he has diarrhea, too…" 

Chibi's three babysitters facefaulted. 

-=-=-

"What kind of a hospital is this?!" Chibi-Ban said angrily as soon as he could get a word in edgewise. The pediatrician blinked owlishly again and adjusted his glasses, handing Natsumi several medicines for Chibi. Ginji came out of the bathroom carrying a nice, clean baby, who poked at his blond friend cheerfully, saying "Jinji! Jinji, funny!" 

"Ban-san, at least we know what's wrong with Chibi now, and he'll be well in no time with this medicine," Natsumi, who had spent the past five minutes listening to the doctor's diagnosis, tucked the medicine into her bag. They didn't have to pay, as they weren't Chibi's real parents, and that made him a sort of charity ward… 

"That's the point! How do we know these medicines aren't going to turn Chibi into an orangutan or something?" 

"I am a pediatrician." 

"Yeah, well your colleagues almost used my best friend in an _experiment._ How do you explain that?" Chibi-Ban glared stubbornly at the doctor. 

The bearded man spread his hands outwards and shrugged, completely deadpan. "I am only a pediatrician. I belong to the Aboveground section of this hospital. The Aboveground serves this part of Shinjuku regularly. We are just people trying to earn a living. Now, below the ground…" he shook his head. "That is another story. I cannot vouch for them." A solemn nod. "You can trust Aboveground business." 

"Feh," Ban snorted. Well, considering he, Ginji, and apparently even Natsumi had been treated in this hospital before (though none of them had known the existence of the basement floors) then maybe… 

As the three adults and the baby walked away and exited the hospital, the pediatrician stared after them. Suddenly, the bespectacled, curly-haired woman popped up beside him and whispered, "Report for duty, Spy-On-the-Aboveground!" 

The doctor turned away with a sigh. "Aw, knock it off Ishii-san, I didn't have the heart. The baby was too cute." 

-=-=-

"Remind me never to go back to that damned hospital," Ban grumbled. Ginji nodded fervently as he kept a squirming Chibi from rejecting the medicine Natsumi was coaxing him to take. Kazuki was in the Honky Tonk, too, sipping thoughtfully at his tea as he digested what Ban had ranted to them. 

"I know that hospital," Paul said offhandedly. "It's strange, and it's true that it's divided into the Aboveground and Underground. The Underground is for the more…diverse dealings." 

"Diverse my ass," Ban snorted bad-temperedly. 

Natsumi glared at Ban. "Ban-san, the baby!" 

"Che." 

"Incidentally, I think the doctor who attended to Chibi was a spy from the Underground," Kazuki said placidly. 

"WHAT?!" Ban, Natsumi, and Ginji froze. 

"Oh, Dr. Ohbu the pediatrician? Yeah, I know him. He's a spy, yes, but he never hurts his patients. The medicine's safe," Paul commented. Kazuki nodded. 

Ban stared at them. "How do you two _know_ these things?" 

Paul almost smiled. "I have my sources." Kazuki nodded again, smiling in agreement. 

The other three sweatdropped. _Creepy_

Suddenly, the door opened, and they all turned to see a bouncy, cheerful and as-always buxom Hevn and a tired but happy-looking Himiko. 

"Hi, we're home!" Hevn called cheerfully. 

Ban rounded immediately on them. _"Where have the two of you been?"_

Himiko stared at him. "Hey, what's with you?" 

Ginji's reception, though, was warmer. 

"Hevn-san! You're home!" he cried, waving his fans around and flourishing them at Hevn, then at the staring baby seated on the table. "Now we can give Chibi milk a little more regularly!" 

Silence. Then, the very painful sound of a 200 kg fist and a stiletto heel striking a small body and flinging it into the wall. 

Himiko stared in the middle of taking of her helmet. "I'm afraid to ask what happened when we were gone. Did nine months pass while we were away?" she asked Natsumi, only half joking. 

Natsumi sighed. "Himiko-san, meet Chibi." 

The baby blinked, smiled, and waved. 

_To be continued..._

-=-=-

**A/N:** WE WENT ON HIATUS AGAIN! -Riyuji 

I'M GONNA LIVE! -Rabid Lola 

By the way...this is our birthday gift to the Wielder of Paperclips. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIELDER! 

And to all those who were not born today...A very merry unbirthday to you! 

**November:** You'll see. Thanks for the props! 

**ViL:** No, Natsumi didn't really misunderstand. And about Hevn...we agree. Entirely. 

**the PIERROT:** Wee salot yu 2! 

**Millie-chan:** Um...we can arrange that! Haloo, Kababayan! 

**Faye-chan**: Sorry, Faye-chan, but Ren will not be making an appearance. Mugenjou's too dangerous for little kids. -nods- And yes, I remember, I will write it as soon as my Philosophy teacher stops picking on me. 

**Nikki:** HOY! Basahin mo naman ang ibang chapters!! 

**Eizan Fujishima:** Hey, any luck yet? -grin- Text Riyuji at 09177620616 if you have any guesses. Good luck! 

**obssdGB:** Helloooo, new reviewer! Please tell your friend thank you for "reading" too. At obssdGB...Pinoy rin kami. Pwede kang magtagalog kung gusto mo. 

**Philips, Ichigo Akira, KarotsaMused, and Lady Guena:** Thanks for the props! 


	7. Horror Story

  
  
**Disclaimer:** We still don't own GB or its cast. Oh yeah, and damn the idiot who decided to dub Animax! 

**Authors' Note:** This has gotta be our longest update (and longest chapter)! 

**Chapter Seven: Horror Story**

It was a dark, cold, and stormy night. 

And…it wasn't Ginji's fault. 

It was normal. A natural storm, caused by a low pressure area passing over Shinjuku. 

But in the shadows of the Subaru…something was stirring…it picked up several cylindrical objects, and began to set to work… 

-=-=-

Rrrring. Rrrring. 

Groggily, Ginji answered the phone and said, "Hello?" 

"Where can I find Get Backers?" a male voice said in marginally good Japanese. 

"That's us!" Ginji said brightly. "How may we help you?" 

"You see, I'm losing my portfolio…" 

Ginji was making arrangements with this new client (place of meeting, price, object to be retrieved, etc.) when he heard Ban's acidic, half-asleep remark, "What the hell happened to you?" 

"Excuse me a minute…What, Ban-chan?" Ginji turned and stared at his partner's colorful face. 

…Colorful? 

"What happened to you?" 

"Hello?" asked the client. 

Simultaneously, Ban and Ginji looked at the rear view mirror. 

"Chibi!" Ban exclaimed. 

"Eh…" Ginji sweatdropped. 

Their faces were covered in what looked like Jigglypuff gone marker-happy after a good sing**[1]**. Blue, red, yellow, pink, green and purple decorated their features, in random swirls, squiggles, and spots. Ban looked like some mixed-up rainbow, while Ginji seemed to have a predominant case of red chicken-pox as well as hepatitis. 

From the backseat, Chibi rolled over and opened one eye. "Huh?" he asked innocently, the many markers of the Get Backers scattered around him. In his point of view, they'd been put to good use. In fact, he had done some cosmetic alterations to himself, too. Let's just say that his arms were the same color his shorts and his eyes were. And his face looked worse than Ginji's. 

"Amano-san? What wrong?" the client, whose name was apparently Memer, asked. 

"Nothing, nothing," Ginji hastened to say as Ban glared at Chibi and began rooting around for soap and a towel. "We're having a few…problems. We'll meet you in an hour or so, thank you for your business!" 

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone by yourself!" Ban fumed at Chibi as he started the car. 

"Ban-chan, it wasn't really his fault!" Ginji protested, ineffectually rubbing at the ink on his face. 

"I swear I'm gonna get back at him for this, one of these days!" Ban grumbled as the car made its way to the Honky Tonk. 

-=-=-

"You should sue your make-up artist." 

"Maybe we should make him work for you. You sure could use it," Ban snapped. 

"Hmph." Paul watched as Ginji continued scrubbing his now-red face. It looked painful already. 

"Gimme that. It's my turn," Ban tried to snatch the towel away. 

"Wait! I'm not yet done!" 

Chibi giggled as they squabbled, ignoring the yells and short bursts of electricity. He was as sadistic as ever. 

They heard a motorbike pull up outside, and a few seconds later Himiko walked in. At first she wasn't going to greet them, but then she stopped in her tracks and stared. "What happened to you?" 

"That's the third time…" Ginji began dismally. 

"There's been an outbreak. Haven't you heard?" Ban cut in sarcastically. 

"Jeez, no need to bite me." Himiko sweatdropped as all the guys stared. "Perverts. Not that way." 

Tare-Ginji pointed at Ban while inching away. "He's the only pervert here." He darted away from Ban's blow. 

"Pervert?" Chibi piped up. 

"NO, CHIBI!" Several voices cried. 

"You are such bad examples," Himiko snorted, sitting down at the counter. 

"I'd like to see you take better care of him," Ban shot back, finally gaining possession of the towel and scrubbing his face. 

"I bet I could," the girl said snidely. 

"Ban-chan, we're going to be late, and Natsumi-chan's not here yet…" Ginji said, glancing at the clock on the wall. Suddenly, they did one of those "connected thought" things, and they both looked at Himiko. 

Two words ran through her mind. _Oh. Crap. _

She never knew what hit her. All at once, Chibi was in her lap, still bearing resemblance to a kiddie coloring book, and the door was swinging, with Ginji's faint "Thank you, Himiko-chaaaaaaaan!" echoing through the café. 

Paul looked at the door as it settled back to a close then turned to Lady Poison, baby at hand. He shook his head. "Ah, déjà vu." 

-=-=-

"'Imiko! Look, 'Imiko, cat!" 

"Yes, Chibi, that's a cat." Since they'd arrived at her apartment building after a quick breakfast at the Honky Tonk, Chibi had pointed out to her the lights, the existence of the door, and the fact that the wall was color blue. If she didn't know better, she'd say the kid was showing off…must be Ban rubbing off on him. 

She smiled slightly as the baby shrank away from the animal padding curiously towards him. "It's okay, it won't hurt you…" 

Chibi gulped, then let out a small whimper as the cat nudged his belly. "Uuuuuh!" he ran around to Himiko's other side, clutching tightly on one of her hands and her leg. 

The sixteen-year-old sighed and picked him up before the cat could inspect him again. "You baby," she said half-heartedly. She shook her head at his still multicolored visage. "You need a good bath. Shoo, puss." 

"'Imiko, borrow keys," he said, small hands reaching down as Himiko shifted him to one arm and began unlocking her door. 

"Wait, Chibi…got it." She absentmindedly handed her keys to Chibi then twisted the doorknob, letting them both into her apartment. 

-=-=-

"Tch, he's late," Ban said, looking at the watch inside his car. He looked around the small park, trying to spot anything that would seem to stand out. Anything. Unfortunately…he saw something that **really** stood out. "Oh, crap. A bunch of cosplaying animé otakus are coming our way…Don't mind them, Ginji." 

Ban was referring to the three men dressed in odd costumes. One was dressed as if he were Terry Bogart, another had a bucket with eye holes over his head, and the last was in a blue and yellow ninja suit that had an odd monkey-like creature **[2]** perched on his shoulder. 

"Kawaii monkey!" 

Ban's fist met the back of Ginji's head with a loud _whap._ "Ssh! I told you not to mind them!" 

"Ano…excuse me." 

"Eh?" Ban turned to find himself face to face with the ninja-clad cosplayer. 

"You two are Get Backers?" You could tell by his accent…and grammar…that he was gaijin. **[3]**

Silence. 

"Eh…Ban-chan? I think that that cosplayer is our client," Ginji whispered from behind Ban. 

Ban was jarred back into reality. "Ah, yes. Yes, we are," he said, pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose. 

The 'ninja' turned to his friends and spoke to them in some foreign tongue**[4]**. Immediately afterwards, his companions left for elsewhere. He turned back to the retrievers. "Thank you for helping find portfolio." 

"We haven't found it yet," Ban reminded him. 

"Could you give us any details or descriptions on what your portfolio looks like? What does it contain?" added Ginji. 

"Drawings, sketches, that kind of things…" replied Memer ecstatically. 

After a few more minutes of exchanging information, they began to wrap up their conversation. 

"We'll contact you through your cellphone when we find it," Ginji said as he and Ban stepped into the bug. 

Memer tapped on the window just as the engine roared to life. "Can I come?" he asked cheerfully. 

"Eh?!" 

-=-=-

Himiko was rifling in her closet for a towel for Chibi. She privately gave thanks that the clothes he was wearing were fresh…with any luck, she wouldn't have to find clothes for him. With any luck…meaning, if he didn't soil his shorts. 

She pulled out a fluffy pink and yellow striped towel—_Why the heck do I have this?_—and turned. "C'mon, Chibi, let's give you a…" She trailed off, realizing the baby was no longer on her bed. She groaned. "Chibi!" 

From her bathroom, she heard the flush of a toilet. Suddenly the baby came running out, his face worried, saying, "'Imiko! 'Imiko! Keys fell, toilet!" 

"What?!" 

It took more than five minutes for her to fish her apartment keys out of the toilet bowls, grumbling all the while. "How in the world do Ban and Ginji take care of you? Between you and those two, I'm surprised that car of theirs hasn't blown up yet, or worse…" She dried the keys with tissue paper and grabbed a bottle of alcohol off the shelf, saturating them in it. Then she dried them again. "You are so lucky these didn't go down all the way, the stupid management would have made me pay for it…" 

She turned to find Chibi poking her gently and saying in a small voice, "Sorry, 'Imiko." 

She sighed and knelt, putting her keys safely in her pocket. "Aw, it's okay…at least we got them out." She pinched his cheek. "You do puppy dog eyes better than Ginji." The baby squealed as she swept him up and tucked him under one arm, tickling him all the while. "Time for your bath, Chibi." She grinned over the baby's giggles. "Those marks might become permanent." 

-=-=-

Himiko's bathroom was a small, Western-styled one, simple and very clean. She placed Chibi in the shower, making sure his clothes were outside the room in case any accidents happened, and proceeded to douse him with water and scrub him vigorously. The baby squirmed in protest, and she shushed him sternly. "You don't want to look like a rainbow forever, do you?" she asked. She picked up her shower…it was one of those removable ones, and soaked him again. He gasped and giggled, crouching and splashing at the residue water on the floor. "Hey!" Himiko grinned. She looked him over and sighed. "You've still got faint marks on you…what did you use, permanent markers?" 

"Hey, stoppit, 'Imiko!" Chibi tried to escape the washcloth. 

"You hate baths almost as much as Ban used to." She smirked. "Did you know that, Chibi? The great Midou Ban, the first few weeks he stayed with us, he would bathe twice a week at the most. Said that's how he did it before, in Europe. It took aniki and me that long to convince him that relatively warmer climate here in Japan meant more body odor." She grinned evilly. "Remind me to blackmail him with it one…CHIBI!" 

Chibi giggled at the now-drenched-and-glaring Himiko, shower in hand. "Wheeee!" he said gleefully, spraying the walls, Himiko, the ceiling, Himiko, and the floor. Did we forget to mention Himiko? 

"Chi-bi! Give me that! Hey!" They wrestled with it, spraying each other thoroughly in the process. In the end, Himiko was in possession of the shower again, growling playfully as she gave him one final scrub and rinse. He clapped his hands, going, "Boom! Boom! DIE!" 

"Paul was right. You are violent." She sighed as she stood, dripping wet. "Great. Now I'm going to have to change. How did aniki survive with me?" She surveyed her drenched bathroom, and turned a stern eye downwards at the cheerful, finally clean two-year-old. 

"You, my little torturer, are going to help me clean up." 

-=-=-

"I'm sure I left it around here... somewhere," Memer said. 

Ban looked around the many light blue plastic tables and white monobloc chairs around the food court of a local mall. 

"Where exactly?" came the grumpy reply of Ban. 

The 'ninja' turned to his ever faithful sidekick. "Memer II, where we eat again?" 

The monkey sat up, scratched his head, looked from side to side, then took off, bouncing on Ginji's head on the way. For the first time, the Get Backers noticed its smallness, its huge eyes and ears, and its hard to place color of its fur. 

"Ow!" tare-Ginji said, rubbing his head. 

Ban kicked him soon afterwards. "Follow the monkey, you idiot! It's going too fast!" 

Tare-Ginji bounced off the tables in hot persuit of the monkey, knocking food and drinks off the table and onto people laps here and there. "Excuse me!" he cried over his shoulder. 

Memer and Ban followed on foot off the table. They found the monkey bouncing up and down as tare-Ginji stared at a small child's doll, flopped square on the middle of the table. 

"What's wrong?" inquired Memer. 

Ginji pointed at the note that the doll seemed to be holding up written in topsy turvy childlike letters. It read, _Hi. I like your folder thing, so I borrowed it, k? -Eriko_

Ginji picked up the doll and lifted it into the air. "Who owns this doll?" 

Ban promptly sandwiched Ginji's face between his fists. "Baka!" 

A man walked up to the odd trio and tapped Memer on the shoulder. "I think that doll belongs to my daughter. She's been looking for it for quite a while now." 

Ban moved to face the man and nodded, a smirk on his face. "I see, I see. And where is this daughter of yours? We'd gladly hand it ove rto her personally." 

-=-=-

"Asuza! Where have you been?" the girl named Eriko questioned the doll. 

Ginij leaned down and sat in a squatting position, bringing his height down to Eriko's level. "Eriko-chan, do you remember a folder full of drawings? Do you still have them?" 

Eriko nodded, then shook her head, unsure. "I remember it but I don't have it anymore." She pointed at the musty-looking door of backroom of her father's store. "I think granny got them. She no want to return them to me," she said. 

Ban looked at the shop owner, again. "May we search the back?" 

Somewhere in the dark and dusty storeroom, a crouched over old lady hovered over a mountain of drawings, a flashlight in her bony hands. "Hmm, these drawings are good enough to sell on E-bay." 

"I'm sorry but we believe that's lost property." 

The old lady turned to find three men staring right back at her. "You'll never get this back! NEVER! It's mine I'm telling you! MINE!" 

"No need to repeat yourself," Ban scoffed. "We could hear you well enough." 

"Polly, sic!" cried the old lady. 

A parrot emerged out of nowhere and attacked the closest person to it, who happened to be Memer. Unfortunately for the parrot, Memer II lunged at him to protect its master. The monkey tackled the bird and they both fell to the floor. Much screeching from both the Polly and Memer II was the only thing heard. After what seemed like a minute the parrot had emerged victorious, a claw perched on the monkey's furry chest. The tarsier just lay there, still and unmoving. 

"No! Memer II!" Memer loomed over his sidekick. "Don't die on me!" he cried. Then... 

_Whap!_

Memer struck the parrot with the oversized blue pencil he had been carrying around, strapped onto his back. 

_I was beginning to wonder what that was for,_ the Get Backers thought. 

The old lady's son had entered just in time to see his poor pet die before his eyes. "No, Polly! She was my only friend!" he gasped between sobs. "You'll pay for this!" 

Ban pushed his shades up the bridge of his nose, ready to perform the Jagan on either the old lady or her son, while Ginji began sparking. 

"AOI-ENPITSUKEN!" **[5]**

Before either of them knew it, the shopkeeper was attacked by a flurry of blue blurs and was soon flat on the floor, swirly-eyed and all. 

Memer sheathed the huge blue pencil and went back to his mourning. 

The old lady huddled in her little corner, shuddering in what seemed like fear. "Take it! Just don't hurt me!" she threw the portfolio and it slid to Ban's feet. 

The unchin-headed Get Backer picked the folder and its clattered contents before handing them over to Memer. 

Memer didn't accept his portfolio immediately. He picked up the tiny body of Memer II and hugged it close to him. 

Memer II suddenly woke up, emitting an odd sound. 

"Memer II! You're alive! I thought you were goner!" Memer held the monkey in a deathgrip. If the parrot's attack didn't kill him, this would. 

The three (four if you include Memer II) exited the room and walked out the store, Ginji stopping long enough to say good-bye to Eriko. 

Eriko, not sure what had just happened in the other room, just looked at the them, smiled, and waved good-bye. 

-=-=-

Chibi was sucking quietly on a bottle, fascinated as Himiko read a book to him. There were no shows on the television suitable for his age…she didn't want to add to his violent tendencies, after all…so after a mercifully uneventful lunch, she popped over to her neighbors' and borrowed a pile of children's books. 

She sighed when she finished the fourth. "You don't take naps, do you?" 

"Read, please." He reached for another book. 

"I guess not…" 

Suddenly, her cellphone began to ring. "Wait, Chibi," she said, flipping her phone open. 

"Hello?" Chibi yelled excitedly, at the same time she answered. She winced. 

"Kudo-san…! Wait, did I hear a child there?" 

"It's nothing, Yamada-san, I'm just babysitting the…kid of my friend." She grimaced. Imagine if Ban or Ginji really had a kid… 

Weird. 

"Oh…that's too bad. I was planning to ask you if you wanted to transport something…" 

Himiko sighed. "Is it important, sir?" 

"I'm afraid so, Kudo-san. But it's relatively short, the job will take you only around four hours. Not the usual whole or half day." 

Himiko thought for a while. "All right. I'll find someone to take care of Chibi till then." 

"Good, good, Kudo-san! I'll meet you in thirty minutes, in the usual place?" 

"Yes sir. Ja." 

As she put the phone down, she looked at the baby sitting on her couch. "Sorry, Chibi, but one of my clients called, and I have work to do." 

"Okay," Chibi replied, a little uncertainly. 

Himiko looked thoughtfully at him. "Who can I get to take care of you?" 

As Chibi cocked his head at her and stared back, a slow smile spread across the hakobiya girl's face. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. 

-=-=-

As Ban and Ginji were helping Memer and Memer II look for their friends, Ban somehow caught a glance of Himiko get onto her motorbike and the noticed that there was no brown-haired kid with her. 

"Hey, that's Himiko-chan, isn't it? Ne, Ban-chan, how come there's a box in Himiko's sidecar and not Chibi?" Ginji wondered aloud. 

Ban pulled over by the motorbike and rolled down the window. "Himiko." 

The hakobiya almost jumped a foot in the air. "Gah! What?" 

"Where the heck is the baby?" 

Ginji began thinking to himself. _That sounded wrong._

Memer's eyes grew wide. He tapped Ginji on the shoulder and pointed at the other two and asked in a loud stage whisper, "Are they married?" 

"WHAT!" shouted Ban. 

Himiko looked at Ban weirdly. "What are you talking about?" she asked, leaning forward to look at Ginji and their other passenger. 

Ban forcefully shoved her head out the window. "Can you just answer the question already!" 

Ginji shook his head. "No, they're not." 

_And that sounded worse..._

"Could the two of you shut up?!" In the nether regions of Ban's brain, he could hear himself thinking, _If he weren't a client, he'd be_ dead _right now._

Himiko seriously considered the fact that Ban needed to be admitted to a mental facility one of these days. Then Ban's question came back to mind. "Ah. Chibi's in good hands. You two need not worry about him," she said, an unusual smile on her face. 

And with that she sped off. 

Memer leaned forward and nudged Ban. Nudge, nudge, nudge. 

Ban glared. "What?!" 

"What? You have nothing to be ashamed of. She has nice ass after all." 

Ban's hand was in mid-air ready to thwap Memer when Memer II jumped him and bit him on the nose. 

_"Memer Two! Memer Two! Alis! Alis!"_ **[6]**

Ban tried to pry the rabid monkey off his face. "Stop telling him to attack me!" 

"I'm not!" 

Ginji shook his head pityingly. "Monkeys really don't like you, don't they Ban-chan?" 

-=-=-

After they finally pried the monkey off Ban's face, got paid, and found Memer's other companions, they happily said their goodbyes to the always-exuberant Memer and his tarsier (Ban sighed thankfully to himself, _Damn monkey._), the Get Backers set off to buy supplies….milk, cereals, soap, a few more cloth diapers…etc. 

As he and Ban lined up at the counter, Ginji glanced idly at the crowd. Suddenly, he froze, a look of pure shock and fear on his face. 

"B-b-ban…chan…" 

"What?" Ban turned, and followed Ginji's eyes…and stared, too. 

A very familiar black, wide-brimmed hat could be seen bobbing up and down in the crowd. Up, down, up, down…but the hat wasn't held tilted over a frighteningly always-placed and happy-to-kill face. It was perched on the brown mop of a baby with happy green eyes. 

Who, in his turn, was perched on the shoulders of the frighteningly always-placid and happy-to-kill Akabane. 

Chibi and his current babysitter disappeared towards the food area. 

Ban and Ginji looked at each other, eyes wide and almost uncomprehending. 

"Holy…" 

"…crap." 

"Sir? That'll be 1,300 yen." 

They barely even looked at the startled cashier girl as they shoved the money over, grabbed the bags, and ran to where they'd last seen Chibi. Ban, of course, ran back for the receipt and change. 

Scanning the fast food stalls and tables, they caught sight of the black hat, still on Chibi's head, and ran. As they got closer, they saw the blue flash of scalpels… 

"Jackal! What the hell?!" Ban banged both hands down on the table, causing the spaghetti to jump a few inches from the plate. 

Spaghetti? 

"Really, Midou-kun, that was quite unnecessary," Akabane said calmly. "You nearly caused our food to spill." He smiled delightedly at the shivering tare-Ginji struggling with the paper grocery bags. "Ginji-kun! What a pleasant surprise." 

"Hi Banchan! Hi Jinji!" Chibi's eyes lit up at the sight of the two of them, and he waved his hands cheerfully. "Eat!" 

"Banchan? How…cute." The gleam in Akabane's eyes could almost be described as sadistically amused. 

"Shut up, Jackal," Ban growled. "What's he doing here?" 

"The Lady Poison was called for a job," the hakobiya replied, resuming with slicing up the spaghetti. Tare-Ginji gulped at the sight of the scalpels. "She asked me to take care of him." He pushed the plate to Chibi, his scalpels disappearing. "Here you go, Chibi-kun." 

"Ayig'to!" Chibi said cheerfully, picking up his fork and poking at the spaghetti. He looked up at Ban and Ginji. "You want?" 

A vein popped in Ban's head. "Himiko…." He could almost see her, hands propped defiantly on her hips, laughing evilly at him. 

"But really, Midou-kun, why didn't the two of you tell me about Chibi-kun sooner?" Akabane said reproachfully. "You know how much I _love_ babies. 

Tare-Ginji squeaked something incomprehensible at this. 

"Since you're here, let me invite you to eat with us," Akabane said. "It's on me." 

They didn't have that much of a choice…after all, they couldn't leave Chibi in the clutches of Akabane Kuroudo, could they? 

-=-=-

Ban and Ginji had spaghetti, too…loads and loads of it. Ginji sat beside Chibi, to feed him, and to stay as far as possible from Akabane. This left Ban with no other choice but the seat beside the so-called doctor. Oh well… 

"Chibi-kun and I had quite a lot of fun today," said Akabane. "Right, Chibi-kun?" 

"Yap," the innocent child answered. Images of poor Chibi at the clutches of Akabane rushed through Ginji's head, and he gulped. 

"Exactly how long did he stay with you?" Ban asked through gritted teeth, twirling the noodles onto his fork. 

"Oh, Himiko-san called me at around 2 o'clock," the hakobiya replied off-handedly. His smile widened. "You know, Chibi-kun has a remarkable sense of humor. He likes it when he sees me draw my scalpels…like _this!_" 

"GAH!" Ginji went flying tare-form, and even Ban shied away, as Akabane lunged a bit forward and popped the glowing blue scalpels out from between his fingers. 

Chibi giggled, saying, "Blue! Blue! A-banee, blue sca'pel!" 

Akabane kept the threatening objects, sliding them back into himself as Chibi reached for them. "Oh, no, Chibi-kun, you shouldn't play with these. They're too sharp, you might hurt someone." 

Ban stared in total disbelief at the Dr. Jackal, as did Tare-Ginji. _I did **not** just hear that from **him. **_

"Oh," Chibi nodded wisely. "Okay." 

"If _you_ don't want him to touch it... **then stop showing them to him already**!" Ban snapped. 

-=-=-

The next morning, Ban and Ginji awoke to see Chibi fooling around with the markers again. 

"Oi! You! Let go of that!" Ban growled, reaching backwards with a long arm. 

Chibi held his hands away, then fisted them. Three blue or green markers in each hand in a very familiar style... 

"Look, Banchan, Jinji! Sca'pels!" 

"CHIBI!" 

_To be continued..._

**Disclaimer 2:** We don't own the CCCom fighters or anything Culture Crash related either. -grin- 

**Authors' Notes 2:**   
**[1]** We're sure everyone knows what Jigglypuff does when no one listens to it because they had fallen asleep. XD 

**[2]** The monkey is a tarsier. A monkey that could only be found in the "jungles" of the Philippines. 

**[3]** _Gaijin_- From what I know, it means foreign/er. That's why some things Memer said had bad grammar (not being a resident of Japan and all) hence, grammar mistakes in Memer's dialogue was intentional. 

**[4]** Bet all you Pinoys know what the foreign tongue was... 

**[5]** Translation: Blue Pencil Strike. Memer's special attack. 

**[6]** Translation: _Memer II! Memer II! Get off! Get off!_

**[7]** Riyuji feels deprieved, that's why we added Culture Crash (The Philippines' Premiere Comic Magazine) hints. Riyuji needs CCCom 15! 

**[8]** Drum roll, please! -insert drum roll here- Presenting...Akabane Kuroudo!! 

**Ichigo Akira, witchy-witchlette13, Phillips, Millie-chan, Faye-chan, Atropos' Knife, and the PIERROT**: Thanks for the props! 

**Veggie Briefs:** Chibi's nicer to Himiko than to anyone else... 

**Invader Androgynous**: WE KNOW WHAT YOUR NAME MEANS!! and...-Rabid Lola points at Riyuji- The doctors came into being because Riyuji went hyper. Like right now... -Rabid Lola, I felt like adding something that had to do with crazy ninja people! -Riyuji 

**Kikio-sama:** He's your dad! How can you not trust him? Oo Thanks for the props! 

**Ora-chan**: DUDE! O, eto na si Akabane-sama! Tenkyu por da props. 

**I ar chocobo**: HI KAMPANA! Kampana, kampana, the bells of Notre Dame! Romeo, romeo, mi el filibusterismo! Thanks for reviewing! 

**Wielder of Paperclips:** Thank you, Wielder, I'll make sure to check next time. -Rabid Lola, How did you know...um, no? -Riyuji 

**ViL**: There's a fangirl dance? Never knew...Nope, it's 'pediatrician'. 

**Moronicus**: HEY! Long time no see! You know, we were just talking about how you were missing, and then we got your review. Hehehe...Thanks for reviewing! 


	8. Corruption of the Mind

  
  
**Disclaimer:** Haven't you figured out we don't own it by now? 

**Chapter Eight: Corruption of the Mind**

Ginji couldn't sleep. 

The light of the streetlamps illumined the interior of the Subaru dimly…he lifted his head and looked at the other two in the car…the sleeping Ban and Chibi. As his gaze fell on the tranquil baby, a sad sort of smile crossed his face. 

He wasn't surprised when Ban spoke. "What's wrong with you?" His partner cracked one sharp blue eye open and stared at Ginji. 

Ginji said nothing for a while. Then, softly, "Ban-chan, it's been more than a month since Chibi was dropped off here." He shifted position and turned to look at Ban. "Why aren't his parents looking for him?" 

"What, you're sick of him already?' 

"Of course not, Ban-chan," Ginji said quickly. "It's just that…" 

"He needs a proper family," Ban finished quietly. Ginji nodded, and there was silence. 

Ginji looked up at the stars through the sun roof. "What if he's an orphan?" 

"I don't think he is," Ban said, bringing out a cigarette and lighting it. 

Just then, Chibi rolled over onto his stomach and lifted his head, yawning. He sat up and said sleepily, "Banchan? Jinji?" 

"Hey, twerp." Ban grinned and ruffled the baby's hair. "Why are you awake?" 

Large eyes looked questioningly at them. "Huh?" 

Ginji chuckled. "Go back to sleep, Chibi." 

Ban took a look at his best friend's not quite happy face, scooped up Chibi, and deposited him into Ginji's lap. "Hug Ginji. He's sad." 

"Ban-chan!" Ginji laughed as the baby obliged, hugging Ginji tightly around the neck with a small smile. The blonde Get Backer didn't return the baby to the backseat, though, letting Chibi curl up against him and go back to sleep. The car was quiet again. But both men were still awake. 

"Ban-chan, what if he _is_ an orphan?" 

"So what?" 

"Well…" Ginji looked at Chibi cradled comfortably against him. "What will we do with him? Give him to an orphanage?" 

There was a silence, and then… "We're the Get Backers," Ban said lazily. "We can do anything. Even raise kids." He put out his cigarette, threw it out the window, and turned over, shifting until he was comfortable. "Now go to sleep." 

A smile finally broke over Ginji's face, and he leaned back, closed his eyes, and let himself drift away. 

-=-=-

"Ban-chan, what time are we going to Mugenjou?" 

"In a while, in a while," Ban replied irritably. "We'll wait for Natsumi, so we can leave twerp." 

"Hey," Chibi said, glaring from where he was eating breakfast. He may have been only two years old, but there were some things he understood. Actually…many things. He just wasn't telling. 

"Shame on you, heaping stuff on the girl…" Paul began grumpily. 

"Ohayo!" a cheerful voice called, and Natsumi bounced in with her usual girlish exuberance, bag slung over shoulder. 

"Hi, Natsumi-chan!" Ginji said, waving happily. 

Chibi did likewise, beaming and waving his spoon. "Nats'mi!" 

Natsumi grinned and pinched Chibi on the cheek. "You're all so early," she remarked. "Are you dropping Chibi off again?" 

"Aa," Ban nodded at the high school girl. "Ginji and I are going to visit MakubeX in Mugenjou. We'll be back maybe a while after lunch." 

"Is that okay, Natsumi-chan?" Ginji put his palms together in a slightly begging attitude. Puppy dog eyes gazed up at the girl. "We don't want to bother you, but Mugenjou's no place for a kid…" 

Natsumi hid a blush as she turned to the café owner who was…skulking behind the counter. "Master?" 

"As long as he doesn't do anything…" Paul paused as he searched for the right words. "Destructive." Why did that sound like an understatement? 

"Arigato, Master!" 

-=-=-

"Ohayo!" HEVN walked into the Honky Tonk, unusually bouncy…for her. Seems like all the females were in a bouncy mood today. What were _not_ unusually bouncy…in fact, they were **too** bouncy, were her…well, you probably know already if you're well acquainted with the blond, buxom intermediary. It did not help that today, she was wearing her usual. Something tight, plunging, and several sizes too small. For a little more detail, it was hot pink. Very, very bright and blinding hot pink. 

"For God's sake, woman, wear something more decent. You're corrupting the kid's mind," Paul said irritably. Boy, he was so happy today. 

"Hi, HEVN-san!" Natsumi sweatdropped as she discreetly ensured that the baby wasn't facing HEVN. 

"Hi, Natsumi-chan!" the older woman replied, ignoring Paul's comment. She seated herself at the bar, crossing her legs primly. Like adding a little modesty to her posture negated the huge distraction. "Have Ban-kun and Gin-chan passed by already?" 

"The kid's here. What do you think?" 

HEVN raised her eyebrows at the disgruntled café owner. "Really, Paul, I think work is getting to you. You should consider retirement." 

Natsumi hid a giggle behind her hand, and Paul glared randomly at both women. Was all womankind against him? 

Then, he noticed that Chibi had twisted his head around to look at the new arrival…and he was currently staring. With very wide eyes. A bad, bad feeling crept up on Paul. The last time Chibi had stared this weirdly at someone, he had upset the other person considerably (Think 'Kazuki' and 'Pretty'). Except now there was a little more trauma in the stare. 

HEVN caught sight of the baby and waved slightly. "Hi, Chibi," she cooed. She opened her arms, and beckoned to the baby, who was seated on the inner portion of the counter. "Come, sit on my lap." HEVN, apparently, liked babies. 

Chibi pointed and said in a small voice, "Too big. Won't fit." 

Looks like someone's smart-ass comments were beginning to rub off. 

HEVN went beet red and crossed her arms over her ample bosom. "Chibi!" 

"Chibi! Bad!" Natsumi scolded him, scandalized. Paul was trying to hide his laughter. Both women glared at him and turned their attention back to the kid. "Where did you get that?" Natsumi asked the confused, oblivious kid. 

"Banchan?" Chibi said, as if uncertain. 

Flames sprouted behind HEVN. "Midou Ban!" 

Paul laughed out loud. 

-=-=-

"Giiiiiinji-han! Miiidoou-han!" 

Ban and Ginji reeled backwards as Emishi practically flopped all over them. "Whaaaay didn't you bring Chibi-han?" 

Ban shoved him off, and Ginji took one whiff and grimaced. "Eh…Emishi? Are you drunk?" 

"Being extremely inebriated is easily one of the best experiences in my life!" Emishi declared, nodding seriously as he fell backwards, nearly landing square on his ass. You could almost imagine him high up on the podium, gavel in hand, passing a verdict on a serious matter. The jury of two stared, unable to argue. 

"Haruki-sensei, stop before you hurt yourself," Juubei appeared beside them, yanking the drunk man up onto his feet. 

"Sensei?" Ginji queried. 

Emishi struck a dramatic pose. "I am now Juubei-han's mentor in the fine art of COMEDY!" He gave a loud hic and sagged against the doctor. 

"Yo Joker, where'd you get the liquor?" Ban asked sarcastically, pinching his nose in disgust. 

Emishi gave an unbalanced shrug. "The streets of Mugenjou can produce many wondrous things." Suddenly, he pushed himself of Juubei and knelt, practically oozing out hearts. "Like the beautiful Mami, that exquisite young blossom, with the fairest hair and clearest skin…not even a field of flowers filled with frolicking young lovers can compare to her beauty!" 

Ban slapped his forehead. "He's wasted." 

"I found him like this," Juubei explained. 

Emishi began laughing maniacally, and Ginji sighed and slung one of the Joker's arms around his shoulders. "Juubei, are you planning to take Emishi home? Where's MakubeX?" 

The needle-wielder shrugged. "I thought of taking him there." 

"Good. Can we get moving?" Ban said irritably. 

-=-=-

Natsumi and Paul had decided to spare Chibi the humiliation of being crushed by HEVN's bust, so they just set the kid in front of her and allowed her to feed him…or eat with him, at least. There were only a few things one could deny a woman, after all. Surprisingly, HEVN was almost as good as Himiko in taking care of babies. 

Almost… 

She had ordered a light salad, and willingly given Chibi the crackers when he asked. Right now, he was gnawing on the first cracker hungrily, looking like a little rabbit. 

HEVN giggled at him, pinching his cheek. "You really _are_ cute." 

Chibi swallowed the last bits, and held out his hand. "More, please?" 

"All right," HEVN agreed. She spread mayonnaise and salad dressing on one half of the cracker. "Let's see if you'll like this." 

What's good for an adult…may _not_ be good for a baby. 

Chibi ate the untouched part of the cracker first, so when by the time he began chewing on the half that had mayonnaise and salad dressing, he had a mouthful of cracker. 

_PTUH! _

A mouthful of cracker that was soon down HEVN's neckline and into her cleavage. 

"Eek!" 

"Yuck!" Chibi made a face, throwing the cracker away. By some unlucky hand of fate, it also went down HEVN's shirt. 

"Score!" Paul said loudly. 

"Master!" 

"CHIBI!" 

HEVN shrieked even more and reached for napkins, upsetting water on the way. Natsumi grabbed Chibi, beginning to scold, and Paul grabbed towels, leaning over the counter to help HEVN. 

"Get it out! Get it out! It's so **icky**!" 

No one heard the bell tinkle as the door opened. 

"Hold…STILL…woman!" 

"Oh dear." 

Everyone froze, Paul gripping HEVN's outstretched arm, and his other hand (with a towel in it) square on HEVN's cleavage. HEVN's other hand was clutching at her clothes, trying to lower her already too-low collar to get to the extra mayonnaise. 

To Akabane, it looked very, very wrong. Of course, he didn't show his thoughts. 

"Akabane-san, what are you doing here?" HEVN demanded, flustered. 

"Just passing by," the hakobiya said calmly. He smiled and tilted his hat at the openmouthed, very red Natsumi, whose mind was obviously on the same track as his. "I just wanted to check if my little friend Chibi-kun was in." 

Hearing his name, Chibi wriggled out of Natsumi's arms and ran out from behind the counter, saying, "A'banee!" happily. 

Paul's, Natsumi's, and HEVN's jaws dropped when they saw the baby run and fling his arms around the homicidal-happy man's knees. 

Akabane chuckled and patted the head of the baby hugging him around the legs. "Hello, Chibi-kun," he said. His gaze slid up again. "I'm not disturbing anything, am I, Paul-san, Miss Mediator?" 

With a horrified jerk, Paul and HEVN realized just how wrong their positioning looked. They sprang apart, yelling, "THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!!" 

Natsumi covered her burning face with her hands as Akabane chuckled and Chibi stared. 

-=-=-

MakubeX smiled up at Ginji. "Thanks for coming to visit, Ginji-san." 

Ginji nodded as he watched Sakura and Juubei dispose of their inebriated friend. "Low, low low your boat, gently down the STLEAM! Mellilly, mellilly, mellilly**[1]**…Look at the pretty trees!" Emishi insisted, not noticing the difficulty he was giving the siblings. 

"Trees? There's greenery around here now?" Juubei asked. 

Sakura sighed in exasperation, and her cloth billowed and wrapped itself around Emishi's head. Jerking the poor man roughly to his knees, she dragged him away. Muffled sounds of protest came from the inert pink bundle. 

Ginji sweatdropped. "Sakura's rough today…" 

MakubeX sweatdropped, too. "Eh…it's that time of the month." 

"Hey, computer boy," Ban spoke up, taking his cigarette out of his mouth. "Can you do us a favor?" 

The prodigy eyed him curiously. "I guess so…what?" 

Ban jerked his head towards the computers. "How good are you at accessing remote European websites?" 

As a reply, MakubeX began typing away. Ban and Ginji bent over the screen, and wondered if they would have luck in finding Chibi's parents. 

-=-=-

Akabane stirred his coffee placidly, pouring milk for Chibi at the same time. HEVN had gone home to change, Natsumi was completing a model of a tetrahedron **[2]**, for a project, and Paul was still leaning against the far end of the counter. If the others didn't know better, they would say he was sulking.

"Ayig'to, A'banee!" Chibi said as he accepted the milk. 

"You're welcome, Chibi-kun." 

The baby turned to Natsumi. "Nats'mi? Waddat?" 

"A project." 

"Ba'yow, p'yodyeck, ba'yow." 

"What?" 

"Ba'yow pyodyeck, Nats'mi, please? Oh and pas staw." 

The girl sweatdropped. "Sorry, Chibi, I can't understand…" 

"He's asking if he can see your project. And he needs a straw," Akabane said, amusement in his tone. 

Natsumi stared. "You can understand him?" She passed a straw to Chibi, but shook her head when he reached for the project. "No, Chibi, don't touch." 

"Of course." Akabane smiled. "It's fairly easy." 

"Usually, only Gin-chan can. He translates for us when Chibi's babytalk gets too hard," Natsumi remarked. 

Akabane's smile grew wider, in a way that somehow made the waitress regret saying this. His next words came out in a soft, almost gleeful tone. "Oh, it's so nice to know that Ginji-kun and I have something in common." 

-=-=-

Ginji shivered. MakubeX averted his gaze from the blue computer screen to the former Thunder Emperor, as did Ban. "Is something wrong, Ginji-san?" 

The older man shook his head, frowning. "It's nothing, MakubeX." 

MakubeX gave off a shrug and returned to his typing. 

_Weird…a chill just ran up my spine,_ thought Ginji. 

-=-=-

Ban and Ginji were quiet on the way home. Their search had turned up with nothing, so far…MakubeX had promised to contact them immediately if he found anything. 

Searching for Chibi's parents…if he did have parents…had a sobering effect on them. 

As soon as they stepped into the Honky Tonk, though, a bundle of energy barreled into them, squealing, "Banchan! Jinji!" Ginji grinned and picked the baby up, tickling him. Chibi nearly fell out of Ginji's arms trying to evade him. 

"Whoa, twerp," Ban thunked the baby affectionately on the head. "You don't want to crack your skull on the floor, do you?" 

"About time you came," a female voice snapped. Ban blinked as he faced angry golden eyes. HEVN glared at him, arms crossed. "I've been looking for you two." 

"Hey, what's with you? What'd I do?" the man complained, bristling automatically at her tone. 

The woman hmphed and turned away. "Nothing." 

"Jeez, no need to take your PMS out on me…" Ban grumbled, sitting down at the bar. Natsumi shushed him. 

"Did you take care of Chibi, HEVN-san?" Ginji asked innocently, plonking himself onto the stool and letting the baby run around on the floor. 

"Well, I tried," said the mediator grumpily. She did not want to recall what had happened earlier. 

"Tried?" 

Chibi pointed at HEVN's chest again. "Too big." 

Ban snickered as the woman glowered at the hapless baby. Ginji was right when he said the other man was rubbing off on Chibi. "Don't worry 'bout tits, HEVN," he said evilly. "I'm sure you did your breasts." **[3] **

HEVN shrieked in outrage. 

_CRASH._

Everyone jumped and turned towards the sound, all insults forgotten. The five stared at Paul, who was cursing and picking up the plate he'd accidentally dropped. They could've sworn the man was going red…. 

"Master?" Natsumi asked. 

Ginji put Chibi onto the counter and leaned over. "What's wrong? Did anything happen?" 

"NO!" Paul and HEVN yelled, scaring the hell out of everyone. HEVN dropped her head into her arms and moaned, and Paul backed away, retreating into the back room. "NOTHING…HAPPENED!" The door slammed shut. 

Ban and Ginji sweatdropped and turned to see HEVN sending death glares to an evilly giggling Natsumi. 

"Natsumi-chan? What happened?" Ginji was really confused by this time. 

Ban's mental gears, though, were clicking into place. An evil grin spread across his face. "Why that old letch…AAAAAAAAGH!!" 

The Jagan master doubled over in excruciating pain as HEVN kneed him good, and Natsumi mouthed to a now thoroughly frightened Ginji, _I'll tell you later._

-=-=-

"To think he witnessed that," Ginji moaned, plonking Chibi into the backseat of the car. Natsumi climbed in after the kid… The two had offered her a ride home. HEVN had stormed out without any further words leaving Ban caught between wheezing in pain and laughing with evil joy. 

Paul had remained behind the locked door, only letting out a garbled assent when Natsumi shouted to tell him she cleaned up and now had to go home. 

The waitress hid a smile behind her hand. "Well, it is kinda funny when you think about it." 

"But he's only a kid," Ginji protested, sliding into the passenger's seat. 

Ban was still grinning all malevolently as he started the engine, pain forgotten. "I never knew the old man had it in him." 

"Ban-chan!" 

Ban chuckled and turned a sharp eye on Chibi as the car began to move. "And you had another fun-filled day with Akabane, eh?" 

Ginji gulped. 

"Kuro-chan!" Chibi said, bouncing up and down in his seat. 

Both Get Backers stared. "Kuro-chan?" Ban asked. "What's that?" 

"Um…" Natsumi twisted her fingers together. "That's what Akabane-san…told Chibi to call him, a while ago." 

The Ladybug nearly disemboweled the peacefully oblivious old lady crossing the road. 

_To be continued…._

**A/N:** Somehow…we just HAD to include "Kuro-chan" again. –evil grin- We'll try to have chapter nine up in two weeks….kindly pray for our exams. Arigato! 

Oh yeah, and people… it was Rabid Lola's 1003rd birthday yesterday! Greet her! –Riyuji 

**[1]** Riyuji was doing this at one point today. 

**[2]** Recent Geometry project of Riyuji and Rabid Lola, which the latter didn't seem to understand. If you want to try, email us and we'll send you the instructions. 

**[3]** Filched from the Chobits manga number 2. 

**Peter the Muggle**: Familiar, aren't we? Thanks for reviewing. 

**ObssdGB**: Yey! Nandito na naman si Akabane-san! 

**November**: Yes, apparently, he does. Come on, you can't threaten Akabane with a baby, but you can threaten others with him AND a baby. 

**The Invader Androgynous**: Wielder gave us the idea…before your fic came out! Peace! We have something better than a flashback. And here's more Akabane for you. :) 

**Lady Guena**: We're sure Ban will get back at Himiko… someday… =P 

**The PIERROT**: YOU READ CULTURE CRASH?!?! –Riyuji Memer is Riyuji's idol. And yes, Animax in English SUCKS EGGS!- Rabid Lola 

**Wielder of Paperclips**: There, more A'banee. He purposely said he "loves babies" to freak the two out. 

**Garen Ruy Maxwell**: Hello, new reviewer! Hope you enjoyed this fic so far. 

**Iarchocobo**: Hold it…introducing, the kid sister of Akabane! –points at iarchocobo- A'banee had practice with you, didn't he? We can imagine you crawling to him, going, "Kuro-niichan!" We're…happy you're proud of Chibi. We'll make sure to pass on the message. 

**KarotsaMused**: Not so much "caring and protecting" as…establishing an intimate rapport with the baby. 

**ViL**: It was probably Chibi's off day when Himiko and Akabane came around. He makes up for it with HEVN and Paul. 

**limelie**: Hi, limelie! Thanks for reviewing! 

**Purple.Neko-chan**: Alam naming na mahaba. Pagtingin nga naming sabi ni Riyuji, "Whoa, it's that long?" Hyper ka noong nagreview ka, ah? 

**Faye-chan**: Did Akabane-san make things even MORE interesting now? (Riyuji: YES, after exams!) Thanks for reviewing! 


	9. Clutter

  
  
**Disclaimer:** Guess who owns the Get Backers. Yes, not us. 

**Chapter Nine: Clutter**

The road was long and winding, bordered by tall, deciduous trees. The blue Mediterranean sky was calm and soothing, cheerful and pretty. But the beautiful scenery had no effect on the occupants of an Echo™ going on its own little way down the road. 

The man glanced sideways at the red-rimmed eyes of the woman driving. She was Asian, petite and pretty, but very sad. He looked away, mindful of the privacy of his co-worker. 

"I'm sorry to ask for a ride at a time like this," the man began. 

The woman shook her head, and tried to smile. "No, it's all right, Raoul." She let out a quavering breath. "I don't mind. You and George are so close...and you know everything, anyway." 

Raoul winced as another tear fell from the woman's eye and dropped onto her collar. "Chiaki, George wouldn't like to see you like this..." 

"I know." With one fierce movement, Chiaki brushed a hand over her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. "We're here." 

'Here' was a staid, peach-colored building with a clinical air to it. The blankness of the place was broken by the gardens behind it, where many people sat, stood, or strolled. 

The Echo pulled up in front of the two figures standing at the entrance of the building...a young man in a doctor's coat, and a tall, sturdy man with red-brown hair and sharp blue eyes. The latter was wearing a business suit, and he looked...rather sulky. 

Chiaki opened the door and stepped out. "George, honey?" she said tentatively. 

The man hmphed, crossed his arms, and turned his back on her, bearing strange resemblance to a sulky, overgrown child. "I'm **not** crazy!" he yelled. 

Raoul, who had also come out of the car, winced, feeling the strain to his eardrums. Chiaki sighed and turned to the other man. "Doctor?" 

The man nodded sedately. "Quite true, Mrs. Schwarz. Your husband passed our month's testing successfully. He's perfectly sane." He fidgeted and added in a whisper. "Unbelievable as it may seem." 

George "hmphed" again, picked up the duffel bag beside him, and stormed into the passenger's seat of the car, resuming his cross-armed pose. 

Chiaki glared at the doctor. "That wasn't necessary," she said, trying to keep her temper. "Why is he so upset?" 

"Some of the test were…a little humiliating," the doctor deadpanned. 

Raoul snorted. 

Chiaki turned to glare at him, and he shut up. Fast. "Into the car," she snapped. "And _don't_ tease him!" 

Still grinning, Raoul obeyed. 

"Thank you for your time, doctor." 

"Feel free to return if anything else happens." 

Chiaki nodded genially as she drove away. 

Her cheerful demeanor disappeared soon, though, and a heavy silence hung between the woman and her husband. In the backseat, Raoul began to silently pray for a minor explosion, at the most… 

"I'm still sure I saw the stork," George said defensively. 

"George…" 

"What? White, long legs, has feathers and a beak! Now if I said I saw a chain-smoking priest carrying a cross that's actually a whole artillery set swoop in and capture our baby, **then** maybe you can be justified in sending me away for one whole months to endure…tests!" George fumed, waving his arms around in a somehow comical manner. 

"You and your Trigun obsession," Raoul muttered. 

"It wasn't me who wanted it!" Chiaki cried. 

"It was your mother, then!" George retorted. 

"Well YOUR parents wanted to, too!" 

"Why d'ya let them?" 

"I believed you, but I had no choice!" 

"How can you believe me if I believe the unbelievable?" 

"So you don't believe yourself?" Raoul suggested. 

The couple turned on him. "Keep out of this!" 

The silence that followed was extremely oppressive and uncomfortable. Then, George spoke, not looking at Chiaki. "So…did you find him?" 

Chiaki burst into tears, stepped on the brakes, and slumped onto the steering wheel, head in her arms. _"NO!" _

The men were at loss, helpless in the face of a crying woman. Raoul tapped George's shoulder. "I think I'll leave you now, and catch a bus. Comfort your wife." 

George glared at him. "Traitor." 

Raoul grinned. "See you in Japan. You'll be leaving a week after me, right?" 

"Get outta here," his friend grumbled. 

Still grinning, Raoul left, carefully shutting the door. After a while, George patted Chiaki gingerly on the back. "It's okay…" 

She continued sobbing. 

George pouted, then sighed. "All right, all right, I'm sorry…." 

"I-it's just that he's been m-missing for so long and he c-could be DEAD and I d-don't w-want to move to J-japan without our baby!" Chiaki said, through tears. 

"It's…your home country?" George tried. 

"AND SO?!" 

"Hey, don't cry anymore," George said gently, though worry for his son was clearly shown on his face. "We can have another when we get there." 

Chiaki glared. "If I didn't love you, I'd have punched you right now." 

-=-=-

Ginji sighed and let his hands slowly, slowly creep towards the baby on the table, while Ban growled, maintaining eye contact with Chibi. 

"Chibi…" 

"No." The baby pouted. 

"Chibi…" 

"No." The stubborn kid shook his head vehemently. 

The baby was currently holding two slices of pizza, one in each hand. Previously, the pizza slices had been in the hands of the Get Backers…until Chibi had decided he was hungry and wanted more. 

He would have made an _excellent_ Snatcher. 

Paul, Natsumi, and HEVN sweatdropped as a full-fledged wrestling match began at that particular booth. 

"CHIBI!! Give that back!" Ban tried to snatch the pizza from his grasp. 

Ginji opted for cajoling. "C'mon, Chibi, I'm hungry, and Ban-chan is too!" 

Chibi stuck out his tongue and scurried to the opposite side of the table as Ginji lunged. Unfortunately, Ban chose to pounce at that moment, too, and the resulting loud _CRACK_ made the three observers wince. 

"That's what you get for spoiling him," Paul said, as he watched the three squabble. 

"No we don't!" Ban shouted, as Chibi bounced on his back and scampered away. 

"Yes you do!" Ginji exclaimed, grabbing the baby and trying to wrestle his slice from the kid's grip. 

"Ban-kun? Spoiling someone? I don't think so…" HEVN was there, too, calmly watching the two men suffer. 

"He does!" Ginji insisted. "Chibi! Don't eat my slice!" 

"Between Ban and Ginji, who would you believe?" Paul asked the intermediary. 

"…I'd choose Gin-chan over Ban-kun any day." 

"Ano, guys, don't fight, I'll just give you more," Natsumi pleaded from where she was standing. 

Paul shook his head at the waitress. "Don't spoil them, Natsumi." 

HEVN turned a thoughtful eye on the café owner. "Then again, maybe it's your fault, Paul." 

"Eh? What are you saying?" 

"You're the one who lets Natsumi feed them." 

A vein popped in Paul's forehead as he repeated, "Natsumi, don't spoil them…this time." 

Just at that moment, the Get Backers' cell phone rang. 

"You get it!" Ban flung the phone at Ginji. "I'll try to get our pizza back…hey, you! Come back here!" He chased after the kid trying to take refuge behind the counter. 

"Ban-chan..! Forget it." Ginji flipped open the phone. "Hello?" 

"Is this the number of the Get Backers?" a man said, in grammatically excellent Japanese…but his accent was terrible. 

_Another foreigner,_ Ginji mentally noted. "Yes, sir! How may we help you?" 

Ban, by this time, had succeeded in grabbing half of his slice and cramming it into his mouth, while Chibi complained and hit him repeatedly. Ban glared. "Who gave you permission to do that?" 

"Banchan bad!" Chibi crossed his arms, squishing the pizza effectively, and glared back. 

"Oi! Be careful with the food!" 

"Chibi, give me that." Natsumi gently pried the mangled slices from Chibi's grip, laid it on a plate, handed the lot to Ban, and gave Chibi another, smaller slice. "Eat this, okay? I don't think you'll be able to finish a whole slice by yourself." 

Chibi pouted. As if granting them all a great favor, the baby set to eating the pizza Natsumi gave him. The adults sighed in relief. 

"Ban-chan, we have a job!" Ginji cheerfully snatched his slice from the plate and ate it all, disregarding the state it was in. 

"Good pay?" Ban finished his slice, too. 

"Un! That is…I hope so…" 

"Ginji! How many times have I told you…" 

"Well, we have to retrieve the man's passport, his wallet, checkbook, important documents, keys to his new apartment and to his luggage…" 

Ban stared in disbelief. "What?" 

"He got robbed almost upon stepping out of the airport," Ginji explained. 

Ban sighed in annoyance. "What is it with idiot tourists and loosing their belongings?" 

"They give you jobs," Paul remarked sardonically. "And hopefully enough pay to delete your tab…" 

Trust Paul to insert that at any opportunity. Ban ignored him, asking, "What's this man's name?" 

"Parentti. He just arrived today, and wants the job done as soon as possible…" 

"Italian, is he?" Ban stared as HEVN stood up abruptly and made for the door. Ginji turned his head. "HEVN-san? Where are you going?" 

"I just remembered, I have an important meeting in a few minutes." The bells jingled as the door swung shut, and Paul snorted. "She just wants to escape." 

"Oh." Ginji and Ban looked at Chibi. "Damn. Now who's going to take care of twerp here?" 

"Hellooooo!" The bells rang again as Emishi came in. "What's up, everybody? Chibi-han!" The Joker rushed over scooped up the baby in a bear hug. "How are you? I missed you so much!" 

"Emishi!" The baby seemed equally happy to see him. 

"I guess he'll have to do," Ban muttered in an aside to Ginji. He turned to the Joker. "Joker! Right on time!" 

"On time for what?" Emishi looked warily at the snake man, not used to hearing such friendly acquiescence in his voice. 

The snake man and his partner, though, were already waving from outside the door. "Arigato gozaimasu, Emishi!" Ginji called cheerfully, and then they were gone. 

"WAAAIT! I had something important to tell you about MakubeX…" The Joker's call went unheard. Emishi sweatdropped and glanced at Chibi. "Looks like we're stuck together, ne, Chibi-han?" 

Natsumi sighed. "This is becoming a habit of theirs." 

"Idiots," Paul grumbled. 

-=-=-

If Shido had had eyebrows, he would have raised them **really** high at the two truants standing in Madoka's main hall. "And you two are here again why?" 

"I was bored, Shido-kun!" Emishi said cheerfully, as the baby beside him waved at 'Shiduh!' 

Shido jerked a thumb at Chibi. "And he's here, with you, why?" 

"It's okay, Shido-kun, I can take care of Chibi-han! We're FRIENDS!" The Joker nodded at the Beastmaster, irrefutably proving that he was a completely oblivious fool. 

"Ginji I can believe being that idiotic…but Midou? Leaving him with _you_?" 

"Aw, I'm so hurt! Shido-kun doesn't believe in me!" Tears streamed in rivers down Emishi's face, and he shook his head from side to side, moaning. "All the years we were friends, Shido-kun, and this is how…" 

"Shut up." Shido rolled his eyes. 

Emishi sniffed. "Fine! Let's ditch him, Chibi-han." He reached down and made a grab for the baby's hand…to find out that the kid was no longer there. He looked around. "Chibi-han?" 

Shido sighed in exasperation. "See? You lost him already!" 

"But how?" The other man began to panic. "Yikes! Ginji-han and Midou-han will kill me…!" 

"The door's open, maybe he went out…don't just stand there, idiot, help me look!" Shido grabbed the hapless Emishi by the collar and dragged him outside, trying to figure out where exactly the baby went. 

-=-=-

Chibi peeked into the open doorway of the garage adjoining one of the many wings of the Otawa mansion. His eyes went wide, and he was rendered speechless at the sight of so many cars. 

To his little two-year-old mind, it was intimidating to see so many large black objects twice his size. Cautiously, he crept into the garage, staying as far as possible from the vehicles. 

_CLANG! CRASH! BANG! _

The little kid stumbled straight into a mess of mops, brooms, oilcans, old bikes…you know, the random stuff you find in a garage. 

"What was that?" Chibi heard a voice from inside the house exclaim. _Uh oh,_ he thought. 

A door on the opposite side opened, and a servant looked in. Chibi, being the tiny little twerp he was, could not be seen from that person's viewpoint. 

As quietly as he could, Chibi scrambled up and walked straight into a car. Alarms went off, and he panicked and ran into another one, causing its alarms to go off too. 

The servant screamed. "GHOSTS!" 

Chibi panicked and dashed out the door, running up the front steps and into the house. 

At the same time, Emishi and Shido rounded the corner and rushed into the garage. "What's happening?" 

The servant grabbed Shido by the vest. "Shido-san! There's a ghost in the garage! First it knocked over the stuff over there, and then it caused the alarms to go off over there…" 

The two men sweatdropped as the servant babbled on and on. 

-=-=-

"Wow. Big house," Chibi said softly, as if realizing it for the first time. Which, in fact, he did. He wandered among the many hallways of the mansion, totally lost, though he was too caught up in his adventure to realize it at the moment. He peered at his reflection in the marble floor, fascinated, and looked up at the large chandeliers. "Shiny." 

Since he was all by himself, he managed to find his way into the largest kitchen he'd ever seen in his life. The first thing he saw was the refrigerator, something he vaguely remembered either from the Honky Tonk or from wherever he came from before the stork dropped him off. Opening it, he began to pull out the food. He managed to open a pack of bread and get a slice, and he munched on it happily as he continued to explore the kitchen. 

Poking around, he found a huge door. It was a funny door, because it opened from above and had a long bar on top instead of a doorknob. Pulling the door down, he looked inside. What were all those wire racks for? 

Hey, look, buttons. Chibi reached up on tiptoe and began pressing the buttons on top of the door. A light turned on in the space the door led to, and he turned that light on, and off, and on, and off… 

Another button made tubes on the floor of the space glow red. Weird. Getting bored, Chibi left the strange door open and wandered to another part of the kitchen. 

-=-=-

The servant who had asked Shido and Emishi for help stamped through the house in a huff, indignant that the two wouldn't believe him. He knew about bad spirits, they used to haunt his place a lot back home, and they had the ability to be everywhere at once… 

From the kitchen, he heard banging and clashing, like many pots and pans being thrown around the room. Then, a child's high scream. 

Gasping, the servant ran towards the kitchen. _The ghosts again!! _

The kitchen doors banged open and a wave of heat swept over him, Choking, the man covered his face with his sleeve, to see the refrigerator door wide open, the food in a heap on the floor, pots and pans all over the place, and the oven on full blast, the door left open. Dishtowels draped onto the racks burned merrily. 

He screamed again, but failed to see the little brown head that escaped through the other door. 

-=-=-

Shido looked up from where he was moving crates in the workshed, trying to see if Chibi was among them. "Did you hear anything?" 

"It was the panicky manservant, maybe," Emishi said, as he rummaged in a closet. "Take no notice, I think he's cracked." 

Shido thwacked him on the head. "Idiot! Chibi wouldn't be in there, that's too jam-packed with tools!" 

"Eh, you never know, Shido-kun!" Emishi rubbed the top of his head. "That's Chibi-han we're talking about!" 

Shido sighed in exasperation. "Why do I always get stuck with you?" He suddenly remembered something, and glanced at his watch. "Wait…Emishi, we have to look for him later. I promised Madoka I'd go and pick up Mozart from the vet." 

Smirking, the Joker threw a glance at his friend. "Shido-kun, you are such a henpecked husband." 

"I'M NOT EVEN MARRIED TO HER YET!" 

Emishi grinned. "Yet?" 

-=-=-

Chibi blew out a breath as he scurried through the halls. He'd never trust kitchens again. They were _dangerous_ places. 

He had come to the more homey parts of the mansion, some halls with bare stretches of floor, some with carpets. As he shuffled along, he messed up the carpets considerably, kicking portions aside when they got into his way and causing it to hump up in odd places. Something caught his eye, and he turned into the library. 

For the hundredth time that day, he looked around, mouth open in a small o. Whoever owned this house was really, really rich, to have so much stuff! Look at all the books! 

He'd been around people who read books long enough to know that books were sacred, and should be treated well. Therefore, he pulled them carefully from the shelves, and turned the pages with equal attention. 

Unfortunately, the books didn't have much pictures, and bored, he left them lying all over the floor. 

It suddenly struck him that he was all alone. 

Curiously, he looked around. "Emishi?" he called. 

No answer. 

He stood. "Banchan? Jinji?" 

Silence. 

"Nats'mi? Master?" He thought for a while, and remembered whose house he was in. "Shiduh?" 

No one came to get him, and his lower lip began to tremble. Sitting down again, he let out a scared, panicked wail. 

-=-=-

Away in another wing, Madoka's head jerked up. "What was that?" She'd been worried at the past few noises that had been reaching her ears, something about ghosts and fires among them. As no one had come to her, she assumed everything was under control. This, though, was a relatively soft sound, something the servants wouldn't hear. Her extraordinary hearing, though, caught it perfectly. 

Standing, she walked off in the direction the crying was coming from. 

She had lived in the house all her life; thus, she knew every floorboard, carpet, and piece of furniture like the back of her hand. She was surprised, then, to find a carpet out of place…she discovered it when she tripped over the lumps. 

"What happened here?" Picking herself up, Madoka tried to straighten out the carpet. She stopped…the crying was coming from the library. 

Cautiously, she made her way to the door and walked in, then gasped as she promptly tripped over a few books left lying on the floor. The crying stopped, and she lifted her head, turning it in the direction she'd heard the strange sobbing last. A few sniffs, a watery giggle, and then a tiny voice spoke . "Clumsy." 

Madoka sighed. "Oh. It's you, Chibi." 

-=-=-

Ban and Ginji let out deep breaths as they drove towards the Honky Tonk. "Another mission accomplished," Ginji said, arms folded behind his head. "This one was easy, wasn't it, Ban-chan?" 

"Aa." Ban smirked as he pushed up his glasses, turning the corner and parking outside the café. "It didn't even take that much voltage, and he fell to the Jagan easily. As I knew he would." 

"Hehe…of course, Ban-chan," Ginji grinned as they got down from the car. They strolled into the Honky Tonk, to be greeted by Natsumi's cheery, "Welcome back!" and the joyful barking of a dog. 

"Mozart!" Ginji knelt, rubbing the dog fondly on the head. It jumped at him and licked his face, and the blonde man chuckled. He looked up, expecting to see the dog's owner…to find she was not there. Instead… 

"Shido? Emishi? Why isn't Madoka with you?" 

Wait…someone else was missing, too. 

"Monkey man! Joker…where's the kid?" Ban stopped in his tracks and glared at the two. 

Emishi poked his fingers together and smiled sheepishly up at the Get Backers, quivering slightly. "Would you believe I lost him?" 

"WHAT?!" 

-=-=-

Two hours…for two hours the four searched everywhere, any place Emishi could have gone while taking care of Chibi. They were beginning to panic, afraid for the baby out there, all along God-knows-where and with God-knows-who… 

"Yaaah!" Ginji crackled reflexively as a hand came down on his shoulder. The owner gave a gasp and snatched his hand back. "Ginji-san, it's only me…" 

"Eh?" Turning, Ginji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Gomen ne, Kazu-chan…I thought you were something else." 

"I noticed," the annaiya said wryly, as he rubbed his hand free of the sting. 

"Kazuki?" Shido and Emishi appeared, both obviously worn out from searching. 

"You didn't deliver the message, didn't you?" Kazuki asked Emishi sternly. 

Immediately Emishi groaned and flopped down to the ground. "They wouldn't listen…" 

"Thread spool? What are you doing here?" Ban rounded a corner, and stood with hands shoved into his pockets, cocking an arrogant eyebrow at the newcomer. "You popped up pretty fast." 

"I sent a message with Emishi to tell you I have news…from MakubeX," the other explained, raising an eyebrow in his turn at the jellylike mass that was Emishi on the ground. "Apparently, he didn't get to tell you." The man paused, and the others looked up at his sudden silence, a sudden, foreboding feeling growing in their minds. The man avoided their eyes, then sighed. "MakubeX found Chibi's parents." 

Stunned silence greeted his news. Ban and Ginji started, then looked at each other, their expressions unreadable. Kazuki cleared his throat and continued softly, reluctantly, "They're alive, and well, and really want their child back. MakubeX has their names and where they live right now…" 

"Ah. Really?" Ban asked, apparently at loss with what to say. Shido looked at him, but the glasses hid the man's eyes. 

"Um…that's great, Kazu-chan," Ginji said, not too convincingly. Kazuki glanced over the two of them. Having known the Get Backers long enough, he knew they'd gotten attached to the baby…and he wondered how they were taking the news. 

"That's all well and good," Shido snorted, also sneaking a glance at the duo, gauging their reactions to Kazuki's news. "But we have to find the kid first." He whistled, calling to Mozart. He had sent the dog out a while ago, to try to sniff out Chibi. 

Kazuki looked at him in surprise. "Find Chibi? Isn't he with Madoka-san?" 

The other four stared at him, uncomprehending, and he elaborated, "I have a string lying somewhere around your house, Shido, and I'm pretty sure I heard Madoka find Chibi a while ago, messing up books in the library." 

Emishi glared up accusingly at Shido. "I told you he went inside the house!" 

"You did nothing of that sort," the Beastmaster snapped. 

-=-=-

"Jinji, Jinji, Jinji," Chibi sang, as he perched happily on Ginji's lap on the drive back to the Honky Tonk. 

Upon arrival at Madoka's place, they'd been exasperated (and all ready to kill Emishi) to find the baby cheerfully playing beside a napping Madoka, both obviously waiting for them to arrive. After explaining to the girl what had happened, they bid her goodbye and thanks, and piled into the car, ready to go back to the café. Kazuki was riding in the back, since he wanted to get a cup of coffee. 

"The idiot Joker," Ban grumbled as he opened the café door, Chibi seated on his shoulders. "Remind me, Ginji, never to let him take care of _anything_ next time…" 

"Ban-san! Gin-chan! Your client's here, to pick up the stuff…" Both men looked up to see Natsumi, waving cheerfully, Paul, standing as usual behind the counter, and a tired, jet-lagged looking young man, in his mid-twenties. The man turned, opened his mouth to welcome them…and suddenly stared. 

"REIJI!!" 

Ban and Ginji stared. 

"Who?" 

_To be continued…_

**Authors' Notes**: Sorry, guys but this is the second to the last chapter so don't get shocked when we end abruptly on the next chapter. It's okay! This calls for a sequel. (insert cheesy background and background music here)  
Riyuji: Hahahaha! (Riyuji strikes an Emishi-like pose)  
Rabid Lola: I do not know you... (Rabid Lola hides face in shame)  
Riyuji: I'm a genius! (insert evil laughter here)  
Rabid Lola: This genius you speak of... Is it real? Or symbolic? 

Watch out for the sequel in our joint account: _Riyuji and Rabid Lola_. It should be out in a month or so with our new fics and the sequel! 

**limelie**: Thank you for the props.  
**obssdGB**: We're sorry... but he's not. Have we answered your question in this chapter? Yeah, let's start a petition!  
**Invader Androgynous**: "-chan" could also be for best friend just as "-kun" could be used for girl. (e.g. Tohru from Fruits Basket is could "Tohru-kun" by Shigure, Hanajima and Uotani)  
**Kaortsa Mused**: We enjoyed Akabane and Chibi, too! Ban was bound to rub off on the kid someday. We won't be surprised if Chibi would begin saying curse words at the age of seven!  
**Atropos' Knife**: O-O That... would be scary. Wow, Atropos! You are definitely trying to find new ways to scare the both of us! Wait... That's a bad thing... Thanks from Rabid Lola for the greeting and thanks from Riyuji for the acknowledgement of such an achievement!  
**Garnet**: Oh, look! New reviewer! (Collective gasp) You're the only one who understood our joke.  
**Peter the Muggle**: (Shakes head) We don't think anything will... but it really, really should.  
**Aissa**: Rabid sez hi, Aissa. Not to bitter, not too salty?! (grins)  
**Purple.Neko-chan**: My Emishi-like pose is all too familiar to you isn't it, Neko-chan? He's your hero?! (Rabid Lola faints) Riyuji: Hay, nakaheart-attack na si Lola. (Claps hands together) I pray for your soul.  
**Eizan Fujishima**: DO YOU KNOW THE REAL NAME OF CHIBI NOW?!  
**kikio-sama**: Belated happy birthday to you! Do you still think that Akabane is still the last person in your list? Oh yeah, and here's Kazuki again!  
**ManicReversed**: Maybe..................... Maybe next time.  
**AmanoAndin**: Thanks for the props.  
**the PIEROTT**: It's okay... we post the new chapter after every two weeks anyway. Oh yeah and thanks for the luck!  
**Faye-chan**: Rabid Lola could imagine you pinching Akabane-san on the cheek.  
**Iuno**: Another new reviewer! Thanks for the compliment! (Stifles laughter in the background)  
**Wielder**: We don't feel sorry for HEVN either. And Rabid Lola barely made it this time! You almost had to kill her. What were you planning? Hanging?  
**ViL**: We don't blame you. As to whether Chibi will leave them or not...... Wait for the next chapter.


	10. The End

**Authors' Notes:** After much discussion and deliberation, we have decided NOT to continue the fic "Where Do Babies Come From?" Instead, we will leave you hanging torturously at the last chapter for you to come up with your own ending, so you won't be disappointed with whatever we come up with. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

.

Hey...that was a joke. :D 

Sorry for the delay, by the way. Rabid Lola's being banned from the phone and computer during the last two days of our deadline didn't help any. For more information, read her bio. And No, she was not grounded. But Riyuji was. -Riyuji sighs in the background- 

We don't own the Get Backers, or Noboeda, Kyushu. We own Reiji, George, Chiaki, and Raoul. 

Anyways...On to the last chapter! 

Enjoy! 

**

Chapter Ten: The End 

**

Ginji and Ban looked from the baby…to Parentti…to the baby. "Reiji?" Ginji asked, surprised. "Is that your name? Reiji?" 

The kid looked at him, cocking his head in what seemed like a thoughtful manner. After a while, he opened his mouth and said, "Reiji." 

Ban and Ginji sweatdropped. They couldn't tell if he was confirming it, or just repeating what Ginji said. 

"I know him," Parentti insisted. "He's my friend's kid. Chiaki and George's kid." 

The information Raoul Parentti gave them coincided with that of Kazuki. Chibi was actually Reiji Schwarz, son of George and Chiaki Schwarz, who currently resided in Italy. And… 

"They'll be moving here, to Japan, in a week," Raoul said excitedly, not noticing the stunned, closed looks of Ban, Ginji, Kazuki, Paul, and Natsumi. Chibi stared at the stranger, from Ginji's lap. "Not here to Shinjuku, although I'm sure they will stop by. To Noboeda, in Kyushu. They'll be so grateful you found him! And he's in such healthy condition!" Raoul smiled at the baby, who smiled uncertainly back. 

"Ban-san and Gin-chan take very good care of him," Natsumi said quietly. 

"Ban and Ginji…yes, the Get Backers." Raoul nodded gratefully as Ginji silently handed over the briefcase containing his belongings, and his wallet. "I am deeply in your debt, sirs. Chiaki and George will be, too. Of course, I'll contact them, but they'll want to talk to you, too…. Shall I give them your number? Or email?" 

Ginji hesitated and looked at Ban. Ban shook his head. "We'll be the ones to call, or email," he said, and Raoul nodded and wrote what they needed on a piece of paper. The man then pushed over his payment for the retrieval—25,000 yen. 

"Get Backers, thank you so much…I'll leave him in your care, until Chiaki and George come. That is…if you don't mind?" 

"We don't," Ginji said immediately, smiling faintly. 

"Thank you for your business," Ban added. 

When Raoul left, there was silence in the Honky Tonk. All five adults looked at Chibi, and the baby blinked and looked curiously back. 

"Kyushu's far," Natsumi said in a small voice. Ginji nodded. 

With a small, almost regretful sigh, Ban ruffled Chibi's hair gently. "Guess what, twerp," he said softly. "We found your parents." 

----

_Seven days. _

They'd called MakubeX, asking if he could email them the pictures of Chibi's parents. The boy had willingly obliged, and now Ban was opening the email in the Honky Tonk, using Paul's laptop. Ginji had suggested they try something, just to check if what Raoul was telling them was true. 

The picture downloaded quickly….a family picture, fairly recent. The baby in the middle clearly was Chibi. 

Ginji pointed to the screen; first to the woman, then to the man. "Hey, Chibi, who are these two?" 

Chibi squinted, looked forward—Ban and Ginji held their breaths—and suddenly the baby burst into a joyful cry. "Mama! Papa!" 

Ginji sighed, and looked at Ban. The other man nodded, face blank. "No doubt about it." 

Reiji looked up at the two with suddenly wide green eyes. "Banchan? Jinji? Where Mama and Papa?" 

Ginji gave Reiji a little hug as Ban pulled the laptop towards him and began typing an email to Mr. and Mrs. Schwarz. "They're coming, Chibi—Reiji. Don't worry." 

---

_Six days. _

Ban and Ginji were surprised when Himiko stopped by the Honky Tonk, and even more so when they found out it was not a business visit. 

The girl fidgeted uncharacteristically as she stopped by the bar. Ban looked up at her, and raised an eyebrow. "Yo." 

"Hi, Himiko-chan," Ginji smiled. Natsumi, situated behind the bar, greeted her too, and Paul grunted an acknowledgement. 

"Him'ko!" Reiji smiled cheerfully as he greeted her. The girl's face softened. 

"I heard," Himiko said quietly, half-pinching Reiji's cheek. "So, you're going back to your parents, huh?" 

"In six more days," Ban said gruffly, a little bleakly. Ginji looked down at the counter, expelling a soft, sad breath. Reiji wondered, once more, why all the adults around him seemed sad, and he asked, "Banchan? Jinji?" Ban shook his head and smirked at the baby, who giggled back, and thumped Ban on the arm. He scurried to Ginji to escape Ban cuffing him. "Twerp." 

A little grin formed at the side of Himiko's face. "I see." She was silent again, then she said, "Well…I guess I can go now…that is…" 

Ban snorted. "Why don't you just shut up and admit to yourself you're going to miss him, and want to spend as much time with him as possible?" 

"Ban-chan!" 

"Ban-san!" 

Himiko's eyes glinted angrily…but not that angrily. "Baka," she said, thwacking him one alongside his head. He let out a loud complaint and glared at her, rubbing the sore spot as Ginji grinned and allowed her to slide onto the stool beside him. She smiled a little, then, and watched as Natsumi and Ginji played with Reiji. She'd decided to stay for a while, it seemed. 

Only for a while. The hakobiya girl soon received a call from a client, asking if she had time for a job. She sighed as she stood, and bid goodbye to others, giving Reiji an unexpected hug. Just as she was exiting, though, a thought struck her. She turned. "Ban?" 

"What?" 

"You'd better tell Jackal about it." She smirked at him, and he glared back. "He might not be happy, you know, if Reiji doesn't say goodbye." 

"Get outta here," the man grumbled. She grinned and left. 

---

"Ban-chan?" 

"Aa?" 

Ginji placed the sleeping Reiji in the backseat. "_Are_ we going to tell Akabane-san?" There was a note of fear in his voice. 

Ban was silent, contemplating all the nasty, creative things Jackal could do when he learned that his friend Chibi-kun (or Reiji-kun) had left for another city without saying goodbye, because the Get Backers had neglected to inform him. The Man of the Evil Eye shuddered. "Y'know, I think we will." 

---

_Five._

The air in the Honky Tonk bordered on oppressive. They were expecting a very special guest today. 

"Ban-chan, did we have to tell him?" Ginji whined. He was beginning to sweat nervously; working with Akabane-san was one thing, _voluntarily_ inviting him for something like a social call was another. Reiji looked questioningly at the man, who shook his head at him and motioned him to continue eating. 

"It was either that or answer for it when he demands why his Ch—Reiji-kun wasn't able to say goodbye to him," Ban snapped back, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. Damn, he hated it when Himiko was right. 

Ginji went slightly pale. "I guess we did have to tell him, then." 

Ban sighed. "You should think more often." 

Just then, the door opened and a cold breeze wafted into the room. "I'm glad you made the right choice, Get Backers," Akabane said in his scarily pleased tone as he stepped into the café. 

Ginji's eyes became as wide as dinner plates, and he inched away slowly. 

"Glad you're here, Jackal," Ban said sarcastically. 

Akabane smiled. "Ah, Chibi-kun. Wait, my mistake, Reiji-kun. I hear you're going to leave us soon?" 

Coming from Akabane, that sounded kinda scary. Sort of permanent. 

Reiji took no notice and poked at Akabane's hands. "Kuro-chan, borrow sca'pels." 

Ban winced. "It's AKA-bane, not KURO-chan!" he snapped. _Where the hell did that come from, anyway?_ Wait… "And no scalpels!" 

"I don't often ask you for favors, Akabane, but the kid's violent enough already without your influencing him," Paul said calmly. All eyes turned to him. Did someone just reprimand _Akabane?_

The homicidal-happy man just smiled. "Since your café is one of the more excellent ones in the vicinity, I'll oblige you." He shook his head at Reiji as the kid tried to reach once more for his hands. "No, Reiji-kun, I'm sorry. Your Ban-chan would get upset." 

Paul didn't know whether Ban's deep intake of breath was because he was creeped out, or because he was trying to keep his temper. 

Akabane stayed around an hour in the Honky Tonk, playing with Reiji happily. He did not seem to notice that the table they were at was shaking every so often. He left at the same time Natsumi arrived, holding the door open for her in his gentlemanly way. When the waitress stepped into the Honky Tonk, she noticed the trembling and looked under the table. 

"Gin-chan? What are you doing there?" 

---

_Four. _

Kazuki and Juubei dropped by. 

"We'll be out of town for the next four days, so we're dropping by now to say goodbye to Reiji," Kazuki said, as they sat at the bar. 

Ban raised an eyebrow. "What, hot springs again?" 

Kazuki shot him a death glare. "No, we found a possible cure or at least therapy for Juubei's eyes." In the background, Reiji was actually seated on Juubei's lap, playing once more with the eyegear. 

Ban nodded. "Ah. Hot springs again." 

"Midou…" 

"Make sure to tie your towel RIGHT ABOVE the waist, NOT at chest level. Men not as nice as me might try to take advantage of you," Ban quipped. 

Ginji barely had time to magnetize Juubei's needles and keep them from hitting Ban. His partner was able to evade the strings that shot out. "Eh, Kazu-chan, Juubei, he was kidding!" 

"Oooh! Cool!" Reiji yanked at the strings, jerking back Kazuki by several feet and causing him to crash into a bar stool. Where it hurts. 

Natsumi covered her mouth in sympathy as the man doubled over in pain. 

Ban gasped. "You ARE a man! I was thinking you pulled a HEVN and got transplants…" 

A shoe came flying to crash painfully into his skull. There in the doorway was the subject of the conversation…or rather, the bearer of the subjects of the conversation. 

"I hate you, Ban," HEVN snarled. 

Ban pried an eye open and glared at her. "You're just saying that. I bet you dream of me at night." 

Natsumi shrieked and covered Reiji's ears. "Ban-san!" 

Ginji was red. "Ban-chan…" 

Juubei spoke for the first time. "But then, what about Himiko-san?" 

Paul, Kazuki and HEVN snickered as Ban yelled some colorful, profane denial that contradicted his red face. Natsumi stared, not sure whether to cover Reiji's ears. She'd never even suspected such words existed, so maybe the kid wouldn't either. 

If Juubei could blink, he would be doing so now. "Why? What did I say?" 

---

_Three. _

"Chiiiiibi-han!!" 

Ban, Ginji, Paul and Natsumi couldn't tell if Emishi was drunk again or just acting himself. Wait…maybe "inebriated with sorrow" instead of the usual liquor. 

Reiji looked pleadingly at Ban and Ginji, begging them to release him from the chokehold the Joker had on him. 

"Emishi, it's Reiji, remember? Not Chibi," Shido said, as he helped Madoka into a chair. 

Emishi shook his head, tears flying in all directions and drenching Reiji in the process. "But Reiji-han will always be Chibi-han to meeeeee!" 

"You got him all wet," Paul observed. 

"He can consider it payback," Ban countered. 

"Emishi, I think Madoka-chan wants to say goodbye to Reiji, too," Ginji said, nervously trying to pry Reiji from the Joker's iron grasp. 

"Fine! _Leave_ me then!" Emishi practically flung the kid into Ginji's arms and turned away, arms crossed over his chest and pouting. 

"You're such a spoiled brat," Shido told him. "No, not you," as Reiji looked up at him with big green eyes that said, "Who, me?" 

Madoka gently pulled Reiji into her lap. "You're happy to be going back, aren't you, Reiji-kun?" she asked softly. 

"Back?" the baby repeated, confused. 

She laughed. "Back to your Mama and Papa." She handed him to Shido. "Come on, Shido-san, say goodbye to him." 

Shido didn't seem to know how to hold a kid, almost turning him upside down in the process. Natsumi made a dive to correct him. "Shido-san, Shido-san, _other way around!_" 

Reiji made a complaint and clutched at Shido's bandanna, causing it to slip over his eyes. The Beastmaster sighed and straightened it. "Uh huh. I'm gonna miss you…" _I think,_ he added mentally. He glared at Ban, who seemed to have read his mind and was snickering. Apparently neither had forgotten Shido's last encounter with Reiji. 

Emishi was suddenly all over the two, trying to hug Reiji once more and including Shido in the process. "I'm gonna miss you toooo!" Shido pushed him off before the waterworks started again. 

Ban pulled Ginji aside. "I'm betting he's gonna forget about the kid in two days." 

"No betting, Ban-chan." 

As they watched Emishi emoting, Madoka trying not to laugh, and Shido trying to handle the baby and Emishi at once, Ginji nudged Ban. "Wait. I'm betting four." 

---

_Two. _

"Last day." Ginji looked at the sleeping baby, a trace of regret on his face. "Should we wake him up now? It's kinda early…" 

Ban shook his head. "Nah. Let him tank up." He settled against the Ladybug to smoke. "We've got lots of stuff planned for him today, and we want him more active than usual." He snorted. "I can't believe I said that." 

Ginji grinned, but it was half-hearted. Ban saw, and punched him lightly in the head. "Cheer up, Ginji." 

The man eyed his partner. "I will when you do." 

Ban gave a strange sort of grin that didn't fool Ginji at all, and continued with his smoking. 

---

_One._

Mr. and Mrs. Schwarz were arriving today. Raoul was bringing them to the Honky Tonk at around 10:30 AM. Ban and Ginji sent Reiji to the back room with Natsumi first. They wanted to see what the couple was like…if they were good enough for the kid. 

Paul noted the way they stiffened every time a car drove past the Honky Tonk, and relaxed when it didn't stop. But finally, right on time, a taxi parked outside and the door opened to let in Raoul, a Japanese woman, and a foreign man. 

"Chiaki, George, meet the Get Backers." Raoul gestured to the two, who nodded in acknowledgement. 

"Pleased to meet you," Chiaki said politely, as she shook their hands. Ban winced when she shook his. Boy, this woman had a grip that could almost match his Snake Bite. Almost. Still, he made a mental note not to get onto her bad side. 

Ginji, in the meantime, was being shaken around by George. "I'M SO HONORED TO MEET YOU, SIRS!" he said in surprisingly good Japanese. His eyes were wide, round, and practically sparkling with gratitude. "Thank you sooooo much for finding Reiji!" 

_No wonder Reiji didn't get freaked out by the Get Backers,_ Paul thought to himself. 

Raoul pulled George back and hit him solidly on the head. "Behave. You're embarrassing your wife…and yourself. And me." 

George put a hand dramatically to his chest. "Ouch!" He turned away from his friend. "You wound me, Raoul. And your Japanese is horrible," he finished snidely. 

_He gets weirdness enough at home,_ Paul finished his mental monologue and continued to observe. His gaze turned to Chiaki, and he started another mental note. _And she married him why? _

"George, calm down," Chiaki seemed unfazed, but the others were startled when she grabbed him by the ear and pulled him downwards, forcing him to seat himself. Her husband's head connected a little painfully with the table. "Oops. Sorry honey." 

_Okay, maybe I should pity him more. _

"Where's Reiji?" Chiaki asked eagerly. Her hands were beginning to twist together in her lap. "Is he all right? From what Raoul here says, he's in really good health and all. You don't know how grateful we are…" 

Ban shook his head. "It was nothing." Paul stared. _Say what? _

"Just curious…what did you call him?" Raoul asked, as he remembered that they'd been so surprised to find out Reiji's name. 

George looked at them in surprise. "You didn't know what to call him?" 

"Of course, you idiot, did you expect the kid to have a nametag?" Raoul asked. 

"Uh…yes? I think I put it on the tag of his shirt…" 

Chiaki shook her head, exasperated. Ban began to pity her, too. 

Ginji was the one who answered. "Well, at first we called him Chibi. Then, we found out from Raoul that his name was Reiji." 

"No, it's not!" George said excitedly, leaping to his feet again. "It's Valentines Alkelanela Shihakshushihua Boherres... Gambigobella Blue Stradivari…" 

Chiaki was the one who thwapped him on the head this time. "George, be quiet." 

"You and your Trigun obsession," Raoul muttered. 

"That's where I LEARNED most of my Japanese. Before I met Chiaki," George told him. 

"Ban? Ginji?" 

The two started, almost not recognizing the soft voice as Chiaki's. The woman was now looking at them, with a soft, pleading look in her eyes. They realized just how much she missed her baby, and how worried she had been. 

"Where's Reiji?" 

George was looking at them now, too, and in spite of the grin on his face and the twinkle in his eye, they saw the same expression in him. 

No matter how odd this couple was, they really loved Reiji. And were good parents for him. 

Ban sighed. "Master, call Natsumi." 

Paul turned, feeling somber himself. "Natsu—" 

There was a crash, and everyone jerked in their seats, surprised. From the back room came Natsumi's voice. "Reiji!" 

Chiaki and George perked up instantly. 

Paul strode to the door and opened it, peering gingerly inside. "Natsumi?" 

"Coming, Master…Reiji, your shirt…oh, forget it." 

The girl came out, and they stared. 

She was spattered head to toe in paint, as was the baby in her arms. It was a sight to rival the time Reiji had gone wild with markers. 

George and Chiaki stared at their son. Was that a…dog painted on his shirt? 

Reiji stared back. And suddenly, light dawned in his eyes. 

"Mama! Papa!" 

Ban, Ginji, Paul, Natsumi and Raoul watched as Reiji leaped out of Natsumi's arms and ran to his parents. Immediately, the two scooped him up and hugged him tight, and they saw tears on both their cheeks. Paint smudged Chiaki's and George's faces, and got onto their clothes…they didn't care. 

In the silence that followed, they heard a soft muffled sob from Natsumi, and Ginji hugged her with one arm gingerly, his expression solemn, but happy for them. Ban shoved his hands into his pockets, smiling a soft, sad smile, and Paul actually felt moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes. 

Chiaki looked up from hugging her baby. "Thank you," she choked out. "Thank you so much." 

---

George had brought Reiji into the washroom to clean him up, and Raoul was outside explaining to the taxi driver why they had taken so long. Chiaki had cleaned up already, at least her face, if not her clothes, and when Natsumi pointed it out she waved it away, saying what was a few clothes when they had their son back? 

When George came out with the kid, she told him to go outside, and then pushed Reiji to the Get Backers so that he could say goodbye. 

Ban ruffled his hair fondly, one last time, as Ginji hugged him. "See ya, twerp," the former croaked. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Take good care of your parents, and don't worry them like that again." 

Reiji looked up at Ban and held out his arms to him, smiling brightly. "Ban-chan," he beamed. 

Ban closed his eyes as the kid hugged him, and Paul could have sworn there was wet in them, too. A few tears were streaking down Ginji's cheeks, but the man ignored them, and gave Reiji another hug, then a tickle. The baby laughed. "Stop, Jinji!" Then he looked up, and frowned, brushing at Ginji's cheeks with his hands. "Jinji crying?" 

Ginji shook his head. "Nah, I'm all right." He smiled, and Reiji smiled back. Then Ginji handed him to Natsumi, who kissed both his cheeks and squeezed him tight. "Be good, Reiji-kun." 

Reiji toddled over to Paul, and said one final, "Ayig'to, Master." 

Paul ruffled his head, too. "Bye, Reiji. Take care." 

Chiaki held out her hand to her son, and he took it, looking back at the others. A sudden, stricken look came over his face. "Bye?" 

Ban and Ginji nodded. "Yes, Reiji. Bye." 

Tears filled the green eyes, and he shook his head. "No! Don't want!" 

Ginji knelt until he was eye level with the kid. "Don't worry, we'll see you again, okay? We'll visit. Or you will. We promise." 

Reiji turned his head from Ginji to Ban. "Promise?" 

Ban nodded. "Aa. We promise." 

Reiji gave a watery smile. "Okay." 

Chiaki pushed him outside the door. "Papa's waiting for you." 

Reiji gave one last smile, then ran outside. 

His mother turned to the four others and tilted her head. "You will miss him a lot, won't you? More than I expected," she amended, when she saw their faces. 

The four nodded. "We're not the only ones," Ginji said softly, thinking of Kazuki, Himiko, Juubei, Emishi, Shido, Madoka…even Akabane. "Reiji made many friends when he was here." 

Chiaki smiled at them. "We'll make sure to visit," she promised them in turn. "As soon as possible. We're staying in Japan possibly for the rest of our lives…you can watch him grow up." 

"That'd be great," Natsumi smiled. 

"Thank you again, Get Backers." Chiaki turned to go. 

"Aren't you going to pay them?" Paul spoke up. The two other men turned to glare at him, and his look answered, _Well? _

"Oh! Of course!" Chiaki began rummaging in her purse. 

"Chiaki-san, there's no need…" Ginji began. 

"Of course there is, for all the food you gave him, and the diapers? And clothes, too…Paul-san, just send me the bill of how much he's eaten here. Get Backers…" She handed them a check. Two million yen. 

Ginji's eyes bugged out, but Ban took one look at it, and shook his head. "That's too much," he said, handing it back. 

Natsumi and Paul stared at him, shocked. _Ban_ said that? 

Chiaki shook her head and pushed it back to them. "I insist," she said, and there was a steely undertone to her voice. 

They gulped and accepted it. More out of fear than anything else. 

Chiaki smiled gently. "Come out to say goodbye." 

---

They waved until the taxi was out of sight, then went back inside the Honky Tonk. It seemed quiet, all of a sudden, and empty. 

Paul sighed. "Well, that's that." 

Ban and Ginji nodded, staring out the window. "Aa. It is." 

They had a hard time sleeping that night. 

---

Four days, since Reiji had left. 

In the darkness of the Ladybug, Ginji turned over restlessly. Ban cracked open one eye. "Ginji?" 

His partner was silent, then there was a soft, "Can't sleep, Ban-chan." 

Ban shifted in his seat. "I know what you mean." 

Silence again. Ginji's voice broke it. "Neither of us has slept straight since Reiji left." 

Ban snorted. "I know. I keep waking up, thinking he's going to want his milk." 

"Or his diaper changed." 

"Or his butt cleaned." 

"Same thing." 

Both let out identical sighs. 

"Everyone else misses him, as well," Ginji remarked, looking up at the sky. 

"Aa. Natsumi's not half as perky. Master's been cooking early in the morning three days in a row, forgetting Reiji wasn't there anymore." 

"Shido misses him too, Madoka-chan told me. Kazu-chan keeps asking after him. Himiko-chan's kinda sad, when I see her…he must have been like a little brother to her, ne, Ban-chan? Akabane…" Ginji shuddered. "Haven't seen him, but I'm sure he misses Reiji." 

"In whatever weird way he can actually miss somebody," Ban interjected. Ginji nodded. 

"HEVN-san asks about him, too. And Ban-chan? Our bet about Emishi?" 

"What?" 

"We both lost. Coz even if he's still weird and trying to be funny and all, he hasn't forgotten." 

"Aa." Ban looked up at the sky, too. 

Why is it so easy when person to comes into your life, but so hard when he leaves? 

---

It was a bright and sunny day. Not exactly like the Get Backers' mood…nine days now, and they still missed the kid…but they felt better. Sort of. The backseat still seemed annoyingly empty, and the surroundings lacked a cheerful baby voice, but they felt better. They were looking forward to receiving a letter from the Schwarzes, in fact. Maybe today. 

It was a bright and sunny day. Their car pulled up in front of the Honky Tonk…and almost before they'd parked, a highly excited Natsumi was crashing out of the door, grabbing them by the arms and hauling them inside. "Ban-san! Gin-chan! Look!" she cried. 

"Oi! Girl, slow down!" 

"Natsumi-chan, what…" 

Both stopped short. 

Paul was grinning widely, behind the counter. There was a hot, steaming pan of pizza ready, looking mouthwateringly delicious and somehow meant for them. The look on Paul's face seemed to say that it was free. And perched beside the pizza, swinging his legs happily, was a pint-sized kid with a mop of brown hair and bright green eyes. 

"CHIBI!" 

"REIJI!" 

Natsumi beamed as the two men practically stampeded over, swinging the baby around, tickling him, and smothering him in a whirlwind of rough affection. Paul actually laughed. "Hey, let the kid breathe!" 

"Banchan! Jinji!" Reiji was equally happy to see them, because he didn't want to let go of them, either. 

Ginji noticed a note on Chibi's back…held in place by many, MANY paperclips. "Er, Ban-chan…what's this?" 

Ban flipped the baby around, took one look, then sighed. "I'm betting his dad did this," he muttered. After carefully unfastening the letter, the man opened it and began to read. The others crowded around behind him to look. 

_Dear Ban and Ginji, _

Hello! We hope you're doing fine. As you can see, Reiji is here in Shinjuku again. Let me explain. George's wonderful, efficient, oh-so-organized company—Everyone winced…they could practically FEEL the knives in Chiaki's words_—apparently made a teeny mistake and gave us the wrong location. George is NOT supposed to be working in Noboeda, Kyushu, and we are NOT supposed to be here at all. Guess where we're supposed to be? That's right…Shinjuku! _

You won't BELIEVE how long it took to clear things with George's company. When we heard the news, we were frustrated…then we saw the bright side. The company is willing to pay the extra expense of our trip from here to there, and is even helping us find a house. Also, Reiji has been asking for his "Banchan" and "Jinji" nearly every minute of every day. 

George and I are eternally grateful to you two for taking care of our son. We are so lucky he landed in your hands. But…could you do us two big favors? 

The first is…well, George and I still need to fix up a few things, as well as oversee the moving of our belongings from Noboeda to the house here. This will take at the most a day…can we please please PLEASE ask you to take care of Reiji in the meantime? 

And the second…well, if ever George and I have a business trip…or late night meetings…or are otherwise unable to leave at least one of us at home with Reiji… 

What I'm trying to say is, if we need babysitters, can we call you two? 

We'll pay you well, we promise! I know how busy you two are…If it's too much trouble, then it's all right, even if you leave him in the Honky Tonk…I'll pay Natsumi-chan and Paul-san too! 

You see, while Raoul is a very dear friend of ours, he's worse than what we've heard of one of your friends—Emishi-san, I think?—when it comes to babies. Um…hehe. 

Thank you so much, Ban and Ginji! We'll pick him up later, we promise! AFTER we deal with the incompetents… 

Signed, Chiaki (and George) Schwarz 

P.S. I pity my company…they upset my wife. 0.o ->George 

Natsumi giggled when she finished the letter, Paul chuckled, and Ginji gave a whoop of joy. Ban lowered the paper and stared at Reiji, for one long, long minute. 

Then, he grinned and swiped a hand over the kid's head. "Guess we're stuck with you, eh, twerp?" 

---

Far, far away, in a dark, grand old house located in Germany, a regal, ancient lady was sitting in an armchair and chuckling quietly. 

A large stork appeared out of the shadows behind her and settled beside her, peering into the fireplace inquisitively. Its eyes could not see the same thing hers did in the strangely blue-white flames. 

The Witch Queen ruffled the feathers on its head, stroking it like she would a pet dog or cat. "That was fun. The little runt needed another challenge in life, aside from getting back lost objects all the time." 

The stork clacked its beak questioningly. 

"Who? That man and his partner I made you deliver the baby to. My arrogant, bigheaded grandson." She smiled, a strange sort of fondness in her expression. "Chiaki and George were none the worse for Reiji's disappearing for a while. If Ban only knew they were related, on his father's side…" She stood, and gestured with her hands. The blue-white fire died down to a normal color, and she rested her hand on the stork's back. "Come. Let's get something to eat." 

Ban's grandmother disappeared with her pet, still laughing quietly. 

**

Thus Ends The Story: Where Do Babies Come From? 

**

**A/N 2:** WOAH! It's done! 

Depending on the amount of questions thrown at us, we MIGHT put up a question-and-answer chapter to satisfy your curiosity. 

**limelie**: Except a new fic from us in one or two weeks. Not the sequel, though...that'll come soon! 

**Peter the Muggle**: Halu! Thanks for the props...yap, it's the end. Did you enjoy? 

**Eizan Fujishima:** We think that's called cheating...haha, just kidding. Anime Marathon? So far it's been all episodes of CCS (plus movies 1 and 2), coupla episodes of RahXephon and some of Gundam SEED...meaning it's still ongoing. Yes...this was a senti chapter. Hey, you haven't been emailing in a while. Watsap? 

**Purple Neko.Chan**: It's okay! There's a sequel! Well, Akabane did say goodbye, didn't he? Rabid Lola: Hey, you'r asthmatic? I AM, TOO! haha...Hope you're ok! 

**Atropos' Knife**: Riyuji: I know that I'm corrupted. I'm jst not too sure about Lola, on the other hand. Rabid Lola: I'm a _little_ corrupted. Riyuji makes sure I don't get TOO corrupted. Most of the time. 

**DaredevilX:** New reviewer! Thanks for the props. Hope you enjoyed! 

**marbles:** Well, expect more craziness from us then. Rabid Lola: marbles, meet my sensei and siamese brain. -points to Riyuji- Riyuji: marbles, meet my deshi. 

**KarotsaMused:** Knowing the Get Backers...We actually think that those situations are highly...HIGHLY possible. Whoa...? Yeah? THAT'S SO COOL! You gotta cool grandpa! 

**the PIERROTT:** The stork did do it on purpose. What? Reiji's dad is cool! The sequel...well, I guess you'll just need to find out when you read it. Oh, by the way...Lola has been held back for many, many, many, MANY years. -Riyuji and Rabid Lola nod seriously- 

**Hyper Konzen Douji**: New Reviewer! Uhm...it is like a Daddy Day Care thing. 

**kikio-sama:** That was our second longest chapter! We did explain why the stork dropped Reiji with the Get Backers. Kazuki is in this one again! 

**Quentin Dahl:** Uhm...it's finished now you know. Hope you're not...that frustrated. 

**bluejem:** bluejem-chan! Go ahead...but I'm sure you would have finished the box of Kleenex by now. 

**The Invader Androgynous**: Um...Thanks for the "grammar lesson". But... -plucks rolled-up newspaper from Invader's grasp- are you okay? 

**Faye-chan:** It's okay. How's the ending though? Hope you enjoy! Riyuji: As soon as this is done I'll begin the KazukixRen fic that I promised. Rabid Lola: YAY! 

**Philips**: We know it's scary. What! The Parents were mentioned already! Si Philips talaga o! Rabid Lola: PHILIPS!!! HOW ARE YOU? :D 

**Wielder of Paperclips:** See! We TOLD ya Reiji's dad was cool! 

Ja, friends, and till next time... 

-Riyuji and Rabid Lola 


End file.
